In the next few weeks, when you hand back your commitment card for the IGNITE FAITH capital campaign, you will receive one of these gorgeous crosses. They are crafted from the pews of the South Church, the old St. Pius church. Let me pass some of them around, so that you can get a closer look.
A cross is a powerful symbol for us Catholics and for all Christians. You see, a cross depicts the mix of who we are . . . sinner and saint. It’s not the fact that none of us are perfect, but it’s burden that we THINK we are supposed to be perfect.
It’s like the second son in the gospel parable, he did everything correct. He obeyed the rules, the laws. Hence he wants his brother punished because he did wrong things. Theologian Fr. Richard McBrien writes, “He sees religion as “rule keeping” and wants the younger son punished. His brother’s return home is less important than the integrity of the moral system. If some (people), after all, can get away with disobedient behavior, what will restrain others from following the same moral path?”
I think that all of us are a combination of both sons. St. John Paul II said, “Neither knows the father. The older son thinks he has to do everything right. The younger son thinks he needs to grovel.”
And we have all had reasons to grovel. We all sin. It might not be at the intense level as the younger son, but often there is still that agonizing sense that we are not doing it right. Fr. James Martin writes about a young man who told him that he couldn’t bring himself to pray because he kept imagining God judging him for not only everything he did, but also for everything he thought. Distractions in prayer, angry thoughts about a coworker, and frequent sexual fantasies were all reasons that he was sure God judged him.
And then we get the imagine from the gospel of who God is. This comes right from Jesus. That is, God depicted in the story as the father, who not only forgives the younger son but runs to the son, hugs him, kisses him, and is so happy to have him back. The older son wants to be fair, wants to be just, and wants his brother to suffer a bit more. He wants punishment.
But that’s not the God of Jesus. St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians calls this the folly of God. Actually “the folly demonstrated on the cross.” (1 Corinthians 1:21). Paul goes on to say that having cross the central image in our faith is an obstacle to the Jews and to the Gentiles is just goofy (or foolishness).
For an instrument of torture and the killing of an innocent man, Jesus, is now seen as the very action that redeems the world and interprets everything in a different way. No, we don’t have to be perfect and get it all together. And yes we have sinned, do sin and will sin and God wraps arms of acceptance around us.
Who has the crosses that are being passed around? Hold them up. See how the ends curve inward . . . it’s a reminder that God wants to wrap arms around us. Arms of “You’re OK. I know. I forgive you.”
But there is one important detail in the story that allows the younger son to be forgiven. He repents. He acknowledges his sins and seeks forgiveness. That’s important. As Paul wrote in the second reading, “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” And it just so happens that we have our annual Lent Reconciliation Service this coming Wednesday, March 30 at 6:30pm. It’s service with reading and music. There will be six priests available for Reconciliation plus 2 people for Spiritual Direction.
So whether you are currently like the older son who is envious, or jealous or stuck in revenge. Or you are like the younger son and you have done some really BIG things, or simply thought bad things. Or it has simply been awhile for you to get “tuned up” and be right with God . . . because you have been “off the mark” . . . come join us. Allow yourself to be wrapped in the loving embrace of God who says, “Welcome Home.”