Five Important Spiritual Thoughts from the Liturgy of the Word

…and follow up for the Secular Franciscan

March 9 – March 15

 

1 – The parable of the landowner who planted a vineyard. (Mt 21:33-46)

…We are part of those who killed the son to get what they wanted. Do we let our selfishness control us?

 

 

2 – The parable of the Forgiving Father (Prodigal Son). (Lk 15:1-3,11-32)

OUR FORGIVING FATHER

 

+
The Gospel is the very familiar story of the Prodigal Son or a more positive
way of saying it, the Forgiving Father

– the story has a number of points
specifically for adult spirituality:

+
1 – the younger man squandered his inheritance

– we sin, we make mistakes

– it is a familiar theme of
Lent

– something that comes
up in the readings all the time: we really are sinners, we think thoughts that
are not at all Christian, we say words that should not be said, we do things
that should not be done

+
2 – the younger man comes to his senses

– the pivotal point for the younger son

– and what must happen if our
spiritual lives are to grow—we have to come to our senses, some conversion
experience

– in which we finally
understand that we have to make God more a part of our lives, more than God is
now

+
3 – the father was watching for his son/ran/no reluctance on his part at all
(this is not the way a father would act in the Hebrew tradition)

– this is the kind of God we have

– if we show the slightest sign
of coming to our senses, some type of conversion, God is there and will remain
with us

– this is so generous on God’s
part, “generous to a fault”

– an image so foreign
to people who do not understand God

– the father
running to embrace his son, you and me

+
4 – the older son was angry

– human beings are not always going to
agree with how generous God is because we are so selfish

– we do not rejoice with
another’s good fortune (the Hebrew religious leaders did not miss this
reference)

– we want what we want

– again the
selfishness thought that comes up so often in these Scriptures is present

+
5 – but the father is also generous to the older son

– he goes to him, he begs him

– we who are so selfish—the
Lord keeps pursuing us, hoping that we will come to our senses as well

+
6 – Jesus leaves the story unfinished

– maybe leading us to believe that the
selfishness could not be overcome

– the sin which is not forgiven
most is selfishness because such a one finds it hard to come to his/her senses

 

 

3 – “The woman left her water jar.” (Jn 4:28)

…because there were more important things in her life. What is the most important thing
in my life right now? What should it be?

 

 

4 – “They rose up, drove him out of the town.” (Lk 4:28)

…I obviously do not reject Jesus, but which of his teachings should I listen to more?

 

 

5 – “How
often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.” (Mt 18:21-22)

…Is there anyone I am not forgiving?