Let us pray to love as God loves! He Loves Us Now -- Just the Way We Are!

God loves us "just the way [we] are." Does he want more from us? Absolutely! He wants us to be saints. He wants us to "be perfect" even as our heavenly Father is perfect. And he gives us all the tools we need to grow more and more into that perfection. 

Lenten Meditation: The Prodigal Son -- Who are you in the story?

Prodigal Son by Murillo

Today's gospel reading is Jesus relating the parable of the prodigal son.

I have a confession to make. Whenever I read that story, I can't help sympathizing with (and relating to?) the older brother. His part of the story begins with the fact that he "was coming in from the fields." That tells me he was out working. Of course, he's working for himself as well as for his father because one day all the property remaining will be his. The younger son already got his share. At least, that's what the story says. But maybe the older son thinks all that will change. Now that his younger brother is back will Dad not only kill the fatted calf, but give half the herd to his brother? Will he change his mind and write younger brother back into the will? What exactly was going on in the mind of the older son? We only know from his actions that he resented what his father did in welcoming back his sibling.

Today's Gospel: The Parable of the Prodigal Son

Pompeo Batoni's painting, Return of the Prodigal Son (1773), is one of my favorites. I love the Father enfolding the boy in his cloak. What a tender gesture. And Betoni makes the father himself and his son take on the shape of the cross. The trim of his cloak makes the cross beam and his head and the son's body make the verticle beam. The band on his hat reminds me of the crown of thorns and his face resembles our Savior's This portrait encapsulates the message of the cross: sorrow, love and forgiveness? The son, like us, kneels at the foot of the cross weeping in repentance for sin. The father, with the face of Jesus looks down in love and forgiveness. Art can touch our hearts with a depth of meaning that takes many words to describe. Pray for poor sinners today. Father, forgive us; we know not what we do. Blessed Jacinta, little victim soul for sinners, pray for us.