The parable of the Prodigal Son reveals the extraordinary love of the Father. This love extends to us, in our weaknesses and sins, reminding us to acknowledge our need for God’s grace in our lives today.
The Lord’s Prayer is a powerful spiritual tool that has fostered faith in the heart of believers since the time of Christ. This potent prayer, however, packs an added punch: it demands that we forgive one another as God forgives us.
We begin the season of Lent by acknowledging our sins and admitting our faults. Rather than blame others or hide from our shortcomings, we place ashes on our foreheads as a sign and confession that we need Jesus to receive forgiveness and mercy.
Jesus uses a powerful parable to teach us the crucial role of forgiveness in our lives. Understanding the teaching is the easy part; our task is to make forgiveness a daily discipline that shapes our thoughts, words and actions.
With a simple phrase Jesus heals both body and soul, revealing not only his power to save but also our need to receive his mercy with an open mind and heart.
While we might be tempted to think that adultery and divorce are recent problems of modern society, the Lord’s teaching today reminds us that these issues have been with humanity from the beginning.
Both Isaiah and Jesus offer words of hope and consolation regarding the faithful and tender compassion of God. The Psalmist sums it up, “The Lord is gracious and merciful.”
The parable of the Prodigal Son offers powerful insights into the spiritual life. May the lessons we learn inspire us to return to our Heavenly Father and accept his gifts of grace and reconciliation.