Scripture reading: Luke 13:1-9

The tax collectors and the sinners, meanwhile, were all seeking his company to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. 'This man' they said 'welcomes sinners and eats with them.

So Jesus spoke this parable to them:

'A man had two sons. The younger said to his father,
 "Father, let me have the share of the estate that would come to me".
So the father divided the property between them.
A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery.

'When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine,
and now he began to feel the pinch,
so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs.
And he would willingly have filled his belly with the husks the pigs were eating
but no one offered him anything.
Then he came to his senses and said,
 "How many of my father's paid servants have more food than they want,
 and here am I dying of hunger!
I will leave is this place and go to my father and say:
Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as one of your paid servants."
So he left the place and went back to his father.

'While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity.
He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly.
Then his son said, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son."

But the father said to his servants,"Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found."
And they began to celebrate.

'Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about.
"Your brother has come" replied the servant
"and your father has killed the calf we had fattened because he has got him back safe and sound."
He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out to plead with him; but he answered his father,"Look, all these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property – he and his women - you kill the calf we had been fattening."

The father said, "My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found."'

Reflection: Who is who in the parable

This parable of the prodigal son should really be called the parable of the Loving Father - it tells us rather more about a father's love and forgiveness than a son's sin and debauchery. The father must have been waiting and watching for the son to come home, for he saw him a long way off. This tells us much about the God’s desire, his waiting and forgiveness.

When the son came, he forgave him with;
no recriminations,
no holding back,
no nasty comments,
no threats,
and no resentments

Abraham Lincoln was once asked how he was going to treat the rebellious Southerners when they had finally been defeated and had returned, after a bitter civil war, to the Union of the United States.

He replied "I will treat them as if they had never been away."

The twist in the tale of the biblical story lies with the elder son who was sorry that his brother had come home. He would now have to share his Father and finance with his strayed brother.

The elder son stands;
for our self-righteousness,
our utter lack of sympathy,
our jealousy,
our greed,
our sense of authority,
even our sense of fairplay.

In God, justice and forgiveness are always wedded.
It is broader than our normal understanding of justice and quite a distance from 'an eye for an eye' and can only be understood through our deepest love as parent has for our children. That is how God loves us.

Story: The cost of things   ( a Mother's Day story)

The children were playing monopoly together, the game was close to the climax. They were all feeling very monitary. The mother did not want to disturb their game but had to go out to the shop to buy some food for the dinner. She asked thechildren to set the table for dinner when she was gone.They did as they had been asked, but they added a nasty sting to the tail . They got a piece of paper, and wrote on it,
'For setting the table - Bill: €2.'

When the mother returned, she spotted the piece of paper, picked it up, put it in her pocket  saying nothing. She turned over the page, and wrote:
‘For giving you life and carrying you within me for nine months.
For going through the pains of childbirth, so that you could be born.
For nursing you, and caring for you night and day for several years.
For sitting up with you when you were sick at night.
For dressing you and feeding you.
For bringing you to school, helping you with your homework, and
for bringing you on holidays.
For buying you presents at Christmas, on birthdays, and at many other times.'
For loving you, and for giving you everything I possibly could.
‘For all the above, - bill: Nothing!'

She placed the sheet of paper on the table, and began preparing dinner.
The children came read what was written, they went over to her and hugged her.

Before they left to wash their hands beore lunch,
they scribbled another note and left it on the table.
‘It read:  Bill: Paid in full !!!'

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers and fathers !

Today's prophet: Nicodemus by night

Nicodemus, a prominent Jew of the time of Christ was also a Pharisee. He also wielded a certain influence in the Sanhedrin.He was a leader of the Jews, a senior, learned, sympathetic and intelligent believer, but by temperament, he was timid and weary of new teaching. He came to night discussions with Jesus. He found  the mysteries of the new faith that Jesus preached very challenging and deeply resonant of the old faith yet they carried a different emphasis. He listened and argued with Jesus. He liked the differences and loved talking with Jesus about them. He was an honest questioner.

When Jesus future was being discussed in the Sanhedrim, (John 7:50-51)  Nicodemus defended him but was out-voted and Jesus was condemned to death.
In John 19:39, he is shown co-operating with Joseph of Arimathea in the embalming and burial of Jesus.

He is an example of a sincere believer who loved to question everything, knowing that God was always the ultimate question.

A gentle call to action.

If your parents/grandparents are still alive, thank God for them,

If you do not live at home if possible,  pay them a visit today/ this week, give them a call or send them a card. Flowers for Mom are always a good idea and they are non -fattening!

If they have passed on, offer a prayer for them. Think about what their positive or negative attitudes were   to life, love, family, money and faith  and how these have influenced you. What do you remember of your grans?

Are there some values you need to remind yourself about and some you need to let go of?

Lent is good for remembering, letting go and handing over to God.

If you have children at home, check out our Lent for children section, stories, prayes and games.

Prayer

O Lord,

In you, our hope is sure and eternal.

In your suffering is the faithfulness of God. In your death is the promise of eternal life

Keep us safe in times of trouble,
keep us caring for others in times of trouble.

And, Lord, keep Mom safe in the palm of your hand today and always

I ask this in Jesus name, Amen.

Prayer image of the Day.

Said the Robin to the Sparrow,
"I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so"

                                                                    Said the Sparrow to the Robin,
                                                                    "Friend, I think that it must be
                                                                    That they have no Heavenly Father
                                                                    Such as cares for you and me"
                                                                                                     .... Liz Cheney