Grassroots Liturgist

In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, have you ever wondered at which point the father forgave the son who had offended him in every possible way?   Was it when he threw the extravagant party?   Or when he ran out to embrace his son?   Or when he first saw his son returning to the family home? For me, it was long before that.   We are told that the father saw his son while he was still a long way from home – he was scanning the horizon, yearning for the return of his beloved, if wayward, son.   Would he be doing that had he not already forgiven his son?   But it wasn’t until his son returned and fulfilled the other necessary conditions for reconciliation (contrition, confession and penance) that the joy of the reconciliation – symbolised by the lavish celebrations – could commence.   The son was burdened by the weight of guilt at his offence.   That burden was lifted by the reconciliation with his father, and the joy of the father's love could...

We Catholics are encouraged to make an examination of conscience at the end of each day.   This may sound a gloomy thing to do, but it’s always in the light of knowing that the God revealed to us through his Word made Flesh is a God who knows us better than we know ourselves, and loves us completely and unconditionally.   Of course, he desperately wants us not to sin, but that is because sin damages our relationship with him and always leaves us unhappy, unfulfilled.   So, our examination of conscience is a prayerful reflection on the events of the day in which we assess our thoughts, words and deeds, as well detecting God’s presence in our life and discerning his direction for us. But it is always in a spirit of total trust in God’s infinite love and forgiveness – he will always love us and yearns for us to be reconciled with him. If we get into the habit of this regular examination, we can better respond to the invitation at the start of the Penitential Act to “...