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Homily for the Fourth Sunday Of Lent
(Mar 18, 2007)
Homily:
This weekend many college students and people well beyond college
age are using St. Patrick’s Day as an excuse to get drunk and be
sexually promiscuous. Jesus
tells us about a younger son who decided to disconnect himself from his father and
family values. Those who violate the values taught them by their family
and their church, commit sin.
Sadly, some people get
completely lost in alcohol and casual sex most weekends. If they
understand what they are doing we must call this a mortal sin. When you
reject God’s ways and disconnect
yourself from God the Father --the source of Life--
you are spiritually dead. If you disconnect yourself far enough from
God and the Church, your condition becomes Mortal, because you no longer have God’s life
in you.
After interviewing many
people all over the
Middle East
, Kenneth Bailey came to the conclusion that any son who asked for and
took his inheritance before his father died, in effect is saying: “I
wish you were dead.” Or
“ I cant wait for you to die.” In
the heartless rejection of the home in which he has been nurtured, this
son wants to live his life as if his father is already dead.
But the Father is not dead. It is the son who is dead.
In the Gospel, the Father
explains to the older son: Your brother
was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and now has been
found. The younger son’s
sins of the flesh are signs that he has rejected the Father and all that
the Father stands for, by asking for his share of the inheritance while
his father is still alive.
Have you ever had a sister
or brother that was lost? Do
you know of someone ostracized by their whole family – “
As far as I am concerned she is dead and her name will never
again be spoken in this house.”? In
human terms it is over and without hope.
For God’s Children, not only is there hope for us when we are
disconnected and lost, but because of Jesus Christ there is hope even
for one who is spiritually dead. Jesus’ death defeats our sins and his
resurrection restores us to life.
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I have three questions to ask you: |
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1.
Do you realize that when you move further away
from God and the
church your spiritual life is in danger and if you don’t turn
back toward home you will be spiritually dead? |
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2.
When God invites a dead brother or sister of yours
to the banquet of Heaven, you have one of two choices: Are you
going to join in the feast or stay outside forever? |
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3.
How does God feel when a lost sinner comes back
home. |
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Actually we have the answer in Luke 15: When the lost
Sheep is back with the flock, Jesus says there is great joy in
heaven. |
Conclusion: The Father
races out to greet his prodigal son and welcome him home, as beautifully
portrayed in this Rembrandt painting. Last Sunday, I saw a mirror of
this when the golf tournament winner, Mark Calcavecchia, embraced his
caddy who had recently spent 11 years in prison on a drug charge. He was
lost, but now he has been found; dead, but has come back to life..
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