Daily Readings - Sun Mar 31 2019

⁹And the Lord said to Joshua, "Today I have taken away from you the disgrace of Egypt." And the name of that place was called Gilgal, even to the present day¹⁰And the sons of Israel stayed at Gilgal, and they kept the Passover, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, in the plains of Jericho¹¹And on the following day, they ate unleavened bread from the grain of the land, and cooked grain, of the same year¹²And the manna ceased after they ate from the grain of the land. And the sons of Israel no longer made use of that food. Instead, they ate from the grain of the present year, from the land of Canaan

2 Corinthians

Chapter 5

¹⁷So if anyone is a new creature in Christ, what is old has passed away. Behold, all things have been made new¹⁸But all is of God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation¹⁹For certainly God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not charging them with their sins. And he has placed in us the Word of reconciliation²⁰Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, so that God is exhorting through us. We beseech you for Christ: be reconciled to God²¹For God made him who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the justice of God in him

Luke

Chapter 15

¹Now tax collectors and sinners were drawing near to him, so that they might listen to him²And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This one accepts sinners and eats with them.³And he told this parable to them, saying¹¹And he said: "A certain man had two sons¹²And the younger of them said to the father, ‘Father, give me the portion of your estate which would go to me.’ And he divided the estate between them¹³And after not many days, the younger son, gathering it all together, set out on a long journey to a distant region. And there, he dissipated his substance, living in luxury¹⁴And after he had consumed it all, a great famine occurred in that region, and he began to be in need¹⁵And he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that region. And he sent him to his farm, in order to feed the swine¹⁶And he wanted to fill his belly with the scraps that the swine ate. But no one would give it to him¹⁷And returning to his senses, he said: ‘How many hired hands in my father’s house have abundant bread, while I perish here in famine¹⁸I shall rise up and go to my father, and I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you¹⁹I am not worthy to be called your son. Make me one of your hired hands.²⁰And rising up, he went to his father. But while he was still at a distance, his father saw him, and he was moved with compassion, and running to him, he fell upon his neck and kissed him²¹And the son said to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. Now I am not worthy to be called your son.²²But the father said to his servants: ‘Quickly! Bring out the best robe, and clothe him with it. And put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet²³And bring the fatted calf here, and kill it. And let us eat and hold a feast²⁴For this son of mine was dead, and has revived; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to feast²⁵But his elder son was in the field. And when he returned and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing²⁶And he called one of the servants, and he questioned him as to what these things meant²⁷And he said to him: ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safely.²⁸Then he became indignant, and he was unwilling to enter. Therefore, his father, going out, began to plead with him²⁹And in response, he said to his father: ‘Behold, I have been serving you for so many years. And I have never transgressed your commandment. And yet, you have never given me even a young goat, so that I might feast with my friends³⁰Yet after this son of yours returned, who has devoured his substance with loose women, you have killed the fatted calf for him.³¹But he said to him: ‘Son, you are with me always, and all that I have is yours³²But it was necessary to feast and to rejoice. For this brother of yours was dead, and has revived; he was lost, and is found.’

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of renewal, reconciliation, and the boundless love of God. In the first reading from Joshua, we see the Israelites celebrating the Passover in the Promised Land, marking their transition from a life of slavery in Egypt to a life of freedom and covenant with God. This moment signifies not only a geographical change but also a spiritual one, as they leave behind the manna of the wilderness and begin to eat the fruit of the land, symbolizing their new relationship with God. In the second reading from 2 Corinthians, St. Paul emphasizes the transformative power of God’s grace. He writes that in Christ, we are made new, and the old has passed away. This newness is not just a personal transformation but also a call to participate in the ministry of reconciliation. God has entrusted us with the message of reconciliation, and we are called to be ambassadors for Christ, inviting others to return to God. This reading reminds us that our faith is not just about personal salvation but also about being instruments of God’s love and mercy in the world. The Gospel from Luke presents one of the most iconic parables of Jesus, the story of the Prodigal Son. This parable is a profound expression of God’s mercy and love. The younger son, who squanders his inheritance and hits rock bottom, returns home in humility, expecting only to be treated as a servant. Yet, the father’s response is one of unbounded compassion and forgiveness. He runs to meet his son, embraces him, and celebrates his return. This parable teaches us that God’s love is not conditional; it is not based on our worthiness but on His infinite mercy. The elder son’s resentment, on the other hand, reminds us that we must also learn to forgive and rejoice in the goodness of God, even when others receive His mercy. These readings together call us to reflect on our own relationship with God and with others. Are we open to the newness of life that God offers us? Are we willing to let go of the past and embrace the present moment as an opportunity for renewal? The story of the Prodigal Son challenges us to examine our hearts: do we approach God with the humility and trust of the younger son, or do we harbor the resentment of the elder son? In our daily lives, we are called to live as ambassadors of reconciliation, sharing the Good News of God’s love and mercy with others. This means being open to conversion, seeking forgiveness when we fail, and extending forgiveness to those who wrong us. Let us ask ourselves: Where do I need to experience renewal in my life? How can I be an instrument of God’s love and reconciliation in my family, community, and world? The moral lesson of today’s readings is clear: God’s love is always greater than our sin, and His mercy is always available to us. Let us turn to Him with humble hearts, trusting in His boundless love and allowing Him to make us new. As we do so, may we also become bearers of His love and forgiveness to a world in need of reconciliation.