Introduction Sometimes the struggle for independence and fulfillment as individuals often put us in conflict with others. We strive hard to prevail over the other. When the struggle is on for autonomy, it gives a sense of excitement and adventure. But when we seem to have achieved “freedom” we begin to yearn for the very thing that we thought was stifling us. Then, when we think about going back, the things that happened in the process of breaking up holds us back. We are not sure whether the relationship we relinquished will have us back. Today’s proclamations reveal to us how God acts in His relationship with man whose constant mind-set is the pursuit of a sense of fulfillment. So let us read/chant the entrance antiphon in preparation to receive the revelation of love in to our hearts. Entrance Antiphon Rejoice, Jerusalem! Be glad for her, you who love her; rejoice with her, you who mourn for her and you will find contentment at her consoling breasts.
The First Proclamation Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you.” Therefore the place is called Gilgal to the present day. While the Israelites were encamped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth of the month. On the day after the Passover they ate of the produce of the land in the form of unleavened cakes and parched grain. On that same day after the Passover on which they ate of the produce of the land, the manna ceased. No longer was there manna for the Israelites, who that year ate of the yield of the land of Canaan.
Prayerful Awareness A mother of any animal species instinctively feeds her offspring till they are able to feed themselves. Human mothers also do the same thing going beyond instinct. Today’s first proclamation reveals to us the maternal concern of God as He journeys with His chosen people through the desert till they reach the Promised Land. God sees to it that His people do not starve by showering ‘manna’ from heaven to feed them. As mothers do, God Abba-Amma fulfils His part of the covenant unilaterally. We in the Apostolate of renewal in Sri Lanka have been fortunate to have had the opportunity of reflecting on the maternal love of God during the year when “Abba- Amma!” was our theme. Let us renew our experience we received during that year…..
Gospel Proclamation The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them he addressed this parable. Then he said, “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 ... set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance .... When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, .... 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.’”
Gaze at Jesus Read the underlined sections of the Gospel proclamation and gaze at the “Abba” experience of Jesus. It seems that from the day that the son deserts him the Abba has spent his time gazing into the distance waiting to catch a glimpse of him returning home. When he sees the son, the heart of the Abba rather than being filled with anger or indignation is filled with compassion and joy.
Second Proclamation So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold new things have come. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
Our Sonship The sacrament of reconciliation is the gift given us to experience God’s amazing love of reconciliation which makes us “a new creation”; A new creation sans a sinful history. We are born again.
Prayer Starter O Holy Spirit! Open Thou the eyes of my heart to behold my image, holy and blameless before my God, Abba- Father after His reconciling love has overwhelmed me. Thanks be to thee O loving Father forever and ever………….
