The associated reading for this reflection can be found in your Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal or online here.
My favorite moment of every week is receiving Holy Communion with my family. As we shuffle our way down the pew towards the aisle, my wife goes first with our 1-year old in her arms. I trail behind, reminding our 3-year old to keep his hands folded as we inch closer to the front. This is the responsibility of all fathers – to guide our family to Jesus. For those few seconds, my family is joined by all the angels and saints in worship, and I get a glimpse of what awaits us in eternal life.
As we kneel in prayer after receiving the Eucharist, I thank our Heavenly Father for the opportunity to share this faith with our children. But, I also pray for the many many young people who have fallen away from their faith and have left their families heartbroken in their absence each Mass.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us an image of a father whose two sons have chosen diverging paths: one of faith and one of sin. Any parent can imagine the immense pain of witnessing their child choose to waste his life on worldly pleasures, especially since the result of those decisions is Hell. Our comfort is that God is infinitely merciful. He gives us infinite second chances through the sacrament of Reconciliation. Our children, no matter how wayward they have fallen, can have their sins forgiven and be reunited with Christ in Holy Communion once again.
This week, let us be a reflection of God’s mercy to our brothers and sisters. We pray for our family who have turned away from the Father in Heaven, and we ask God to fill us with His perfect patience and love. Lastly, we give thanks for all those who bravely confess any mortal sins and come to the altar in a renewed state of grace.
Dear Lord, although I may stumble or lose my way, I choose the path of faith. A joyful celebration awaits all those who return to you. Amen
Kevin Jordan is husband to Olivia and father to two young boys and a baby on the way. He enjoys studying Scripture and Church history. As a financial planner, Kevin hopes to one day offer pro-bono financial planning to engaged couples as part of diocesan marriage preparation. Check out his firm's website.
