In this week's edition of There's more in the Gospel than meets the eye, Jill
Bevilacqua and Seàn-Patrick Lovett bring us readings and reflections for the Fourth
Sunday of Lent. Listen:
GospelLk
15: 1-3, 11-32 Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen
to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This
man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them Jesus addressed this
parable: “A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father
give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father
divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected
all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered
his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a
severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So
he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm
to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the
swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How
many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but
here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall
say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I
no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one
of your hired workers.”’ So he got up and went back to his father. While
he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled
with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His
son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I
no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly
bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals
on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let
us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come
to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration
began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his
way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He
called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said
to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered
the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He
became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father
came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look,
all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet
you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when
your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for
him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son,
you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now
we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come
to life again; he was lost and has been found.’”
(Sunday Gospel for Mar. 4, 2013 fourth Sunday of
Lent )