In the First reading From the Book Of
Joshua
Jos 5:9a,10-12
In the promised land, the Hebrews celebrated the Passover. Their motivation was not to get something. They offered their lambs as a sign of gratitude to Almighty God. Our Passover Lamb is Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
Note that the setting of our weekly Passover is the Eucharistic Prayer, a prayer of thanksgiving and praise, and these sentiments should be your motivation for taking part in it. "We offer you [God] in thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice... Through him [Jesus Christ] with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever.
The Responsorial Psalm is that that we put our trust in Jesus because of his love and kindness and that he has done great things for us, so we should be filled with joy and love for him and to be like him
in your self-giving.
In the Second Reading, From the Second Letter of Saint Paul
to the Corinthians
2 Cor 5:17-21
The message of this reading is that God, in Christ, has reconciled us to himself. Apply this to yourself. Whether you are" the prodigal son " or "the righteous son" of today's Gospel, you need reconciliation , which is not bought with good works, but given freely!
In the Gospel of Luke
Lk 15:1-3,11-32
We note that the popular name of this parable, "The Prodigal Son" is misleading. The parable of "The Merciful Father' would be a better name. It is all about "a man" called "father " thirteen times and obviously representing Almighty God, who cares for both the son who ran off and the law-abiding son who remained home.
Luke indicates those to whom the parable is directed: the tax collectors and sinners (the son who ran off) and the Pharisees and scribes, the righteous observers of the law (the son who remained at home). The latter observed the law but their motivation was wrong. They tried to buy salvation by scrupulous external observance. Their attitude was like that of the oldest son: ' All these years I served you."
Unloving service is not far from servitude. Parents are annoyed when fear and calculation are the only reasons why the children obey them. Both sons are wrong. Hence no matter which one you must identify yourself, return to your Father who is merciful!
