May the Lord give you grace and peace to be compassionate in the Holy Spirit. It is 11th March 2023. We reflect on Micah 7:14-15, 18-20; and Luke 15:1-3, 11-32.
Is God away from us or are we away from God?
God welcomes us back always forgetting the distance we travelled away from God. Whatever it takes, God wants to forgive us and heal us. God is going after the black sheep in our family, and community. The moment we reach out to those who strayed away from God, God looks up to us.
It is so painful to be away from God for each of us, but it is even more painful for God when we do not realize it. Experiencing God’s mercy and forgiveness in the milieu of repentance and return to the Lord is indeed grace.
“There is no God like you. You forgive those who are guilty of sin; you ·do not look at the sins of ·your people who are left alive. You will not stay angry forever, because you ·enjoy being kind.” (Mic.7:18). God’s promise of being faithful in forgiving and accepting us as we are still intact, and nothing can change it. Jesus displays the quality of the Father-God in the parable of the Prodigal son.
The responsorial Psalm acclaims, “The Lord is kind and merciful.” (Ps.103:8).
The parable brings out that we are the prodigal son who needs to return to the Lord even if our brother and sister may not wish it, but God is eagerly waiting for our return. The unchanging love of the Father is always there for all of us, so let us not hesitate to return to the ever-forgiving Father. Let us not wait for too long to return to the Father. We all need the heart of the Father-God in forgiving and accepting others as they are whatever they have done to us or to the family at large. We need to take the initiative in reaching out contacting them and establishing an intimate and loving connection with that sister or brother who does not talk to us and cut all the connections with us. May you have a day full of blessings. Praying with you to return to the Lord. God bless you.