Fourth Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday
Return — ‘Manna’

The father did not look for the youngest son like a lost sheep. He had used his freedom to decide to leave, and the father respected that decision. But he still looked forward to his son. Hope still burned brightly. The father saw his son before he could see him. The sickly, smelly, ungrateful son did not make the father avoid him. The overflowing love made the father’s steps hurried. His arms were too big, his kisses were passionate. Beautiful clothes, new sandals, rings on his fingers, music, parties, dancing: all were just to let everyone know that this was my son, still my son because he had never not been a son.

But the father did not only love the youngest son. The eldest son was the target of this story. He was too filial, too obedient to his father in every detail. He did not wander, did not indulge in debauchery, only took care of the fields. Everyone saw him as a model son. But the incident of the younger brother’s return revealed his true character. Although he was always in his father’s house, he was outside his father’s heart. He could not understand why his father was so weak, so tolerant that he was unfair to him. He held a feast with fatted calf to celebrate the prodigal son, but he did not even have a goat to nibble on with his friends. He could not be happy with his father, and even less with his brother. He was angry because he felt his rights were being violated. In the end, he refused to go into the house.

It turned out that both sons were different, but also very similar. Both were outside their father’s house, accepting hunger. The youngest son did not find happiness with his father, so he left. The eldest son could not share his father’s happiness, so he did not go in.

Repentance is to return to his father’s love.

Both sons needed to return, to return. Repentance is to return to love, joy, and life. But returning is not easy. No one wants to admit that they have gone astray. The eldest brother needed to put aside his pride to happily return to the house. The youngest brother needs to be humble to meet his father and his servants in a state of physical and mental devastation. To return, one must stand up or leave the place where one is standing. Giving up is painful, but happiness is wonderful. The greatest happiness is not material possessions, but discovering that one has a place in one’s father’s heart. The father loves one even though one is spoiled and disloyal. The father loves one not because one is obedient or productive. The father loves one only because one is a son. The father does not want to lose any of his children.

Returning to the Father requires us to open our arms to welcome the younger brother. He is not “my son”, but “my brother”.
Returning to the Father, to others, is also returning to ourselves. I suddenly realized that I am so rich.