Seeking Mercy

"In order to respond to the call of God and start on our journey, it is not necessary to be already perfect. We know that the prodigal son's awareness of his own sin allowed him to set out on his return journey and thus feel the joy of reconciliation with the Father. Weaknesses and human limitations do not present an obstacle, as long as they help make us more aware of the fact that we are in need of the redeeming grace of Christ."

Pope Benedict XVI

Message for the 43rd World Day of Prayers for Vocations
March 30, 2006

I am a sinner.  I am broken. I fail to love my wife, my children, my family, friends, co-workers and enemies the way they deserve.  I am aware of this reality.

Pope Benedict XVI’s words above remind us of the importance of recognizing, in humility, our fallen nature.  This recognition is a wonderful starting point each and every day to drawing deeper into a relationship with our merciful Father in Heaven. It is precisely when we are vulnerable – empty if you will – that we are in a state ready to receive Christ’s “redeeming grace.”

The beautiful story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-32) is meant to draw us into a more complete understanding of God as Love and His desire to shower mercy upon us.  I gained a greater appreciation of this story when I read a little about Jewish customs at the time of Jesus.  When the younger son asks for his “inheritance” he was in effect telling his father that he was dead to him.  Imagine the pain that the father must have felt in the deepest core of his being.  According to custom the father would give the son what was his share of the inheritance but there was a “condition.”  The son could not come back.  In fact, if he came back he could be treated as a vagabond or a thief coming to steal from the property and be killed.

The son would have known this reality, which makes his decision to go back to his father more compelling.  In a way he would have known that he was going back to his own death.  This understanding of the story greatly enhances the point that Jesus is trying to make about the love of God for his fallen away children.

Not only do we find the father looking out for his son (Jesus clearly wants us to know that the father was doing so every day after the son left), but also he runs to his lost son and lavishes upon him forgiveness, mercy and love. He runs to the son who had called him dead and exclaims, “This son of mine was dead, and has come to life again.”  The “irony” is not meant to be lost upon the listener or reader. Can you imagine the crowd who was listening to Jesus tells this story the first time and how stunning this turn of events would have been to them?  Yet the message is clear: God will always be looking to shower his lost children with His forgiveness, mercy and love.  God always runs after us. No matter how sinful or broken we are.

“Weaknesses and human limitations do not present an obstacle, as long as they help make us more aware of the fact that we are in need of the redeeming grace of Christ."  I am a sinner. I am broken.  I fail to love.  Yet I pray daily that the awareness of my shortcomings fuel my desire to be holy and my deepest longing to seek and receive the “redeeming grace of Christ.”

May this continuing season of Lent offer us more opportunities to grow in such consciousness and seek the healing love of Jesus Christ.

- Michael Lavigne

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland is promoting “The Light is On For You.”  Every parish/cluster in the state will have at least one church site open every night from April 11-15 from 6-7p.m. for confession and time of quiet reflection.