Prodigal
Prodigal is defined as: Spending money or resources freely, recklessly and wastefully in an extravagant manner. We hear the parable of the Prodigal Son this weekend. The title tells us something about the younger son, but a deeper spiritual dive may generate a new title, one that captures the point or spiritual message more completely. A better title is The Forgiving Father, or even Unconditional Parental Love. The younger son’s prodigal-ness (if that is a word) not only indicates the extent to which he was lost, but sets up the forgiveness of the father and ignites a reconciliatory tone of celebrating what was lost. The unconditional love of the father moves him to welcome his son back, to celebrate what was lost and now found. This incites judgment from the older, very obedient son. The Father’s forgiveness of the prodigal son causes jealousy and resentment from the responsible son. Simply put, doing the right thing never got him a party. Life isn’t fair sometimes, and because of that we need reconciliation even more.
Please consider that we all have the ability to forgive unconditionally as our God forgives. We can carry it out at any time, any day. Please consider that the Rite of Sacramental Reconciliation can help us, can bring us God’s grace, particularly when the object of reconciliation (another person) may not be present or open to reconciling as well; OR when life isn’t fair, as in the case of the older son in this weekend’s parable. Please consider trusting in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and come to our All Parish Reconciliation Service, Wednesday, April 10 at 7:00pm.
The Holy Family Fund
This weekend we introduce the Holy Family Fund as part of our Lenten Social Justice Project. This fund, established in the name of our parish as an acknowledgement of our generous support of previous Lenten collaborations with Catholic Extension Society, will assist families that have been separated and are in crisis. It will lead to the unity that all families are called to, in the example of THE Holy Family, and challenge OUR Holy Family Catholic Community to embrace FAMILY as one of the important tenants of Catholic Social Teaching. Participating families contribute financially on a monthly basis and our donations will supplement their investment, therefore we offer a hand up and not simply a hand out to maintain stability for these families.
This fund is somewhat of an insurance policy for families, perhaps they will need it, perhaps not. Our donations this Lent, in support of both the Kino Border Initiative and the Holy Family Fund, will greatly help in addressing pressing immigration policy issues.
Please take a brochure available in our Narthex that will give you much more information about this fund.
Once again, I am asking you to familiarize yourself with and to pray with the Tenants of Catholic Social Teaching that have been the foundation of ALL of our Lenten Social Justice Projects and are displayed in the back of our church along with photos from the trip that Ro Geisler, Sue Geegan and I took recently to the border. These tenants are:
The Dignity and Gift of Life
Family as the First Community
Rights and Responsibilities of both Family
and Society
The Importance of Work and the Rights of Workers
Solidarity with the Isolated and Vulnerable
Care for Our Common Home – Creation
and
A Preferential Option for the Poor.
Fr. Sean Carroll, the Executive Director of the Kino Border Initiative, will proclaim a recorded version of our Gospel story THIS weekend and then NEXT weekend he will join us in person for ALL Masses. Please welcome him warmly in Holy Family style.
On Friday, April 12 at 7:00pm I am introducing a special Stations of the Cross for Athletes. These will be led by high school athletes from our parish, but are open to ALL and to ALL whose lives athletics plays an important role.