Day 1 - March 7

The Joy of Mercy Online Lenten Retreat

Day 1 – March 7

Today’s Theme: “There Is No Life in Sin”

Today’s Scripture

A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. -- Luke 15:13

Fr. Kempf’s Reflection

   A teenage Sunday school class was asked to describe the parable of the Prodigal Son in their own words. One young man rose and said the following: “Once, a kid talked his dad into giving him a lot of money. Then he took off, ran away from home and spent half his money on wine, women and song.” He added: “And then he wasted the other half.”

   The primary sin of the son in this story is not that he spent his money on wild and dissolute living—not that we are encouraging that. But by Jewish law, one does not get his father’s inheritance unless dad is dead. By asking for his share of the inheritance now, he basically says, “I wish you were dead. But since you are not, you will be like dead to me.” It was like spitting in his father’s face. Then, off he went, messing up his life as only sin can do.

   But then came one of those key moments in his life—as in the lives of all of us sinners: he came to his senses, thinking, What am I doing? This is waking up. Sin is a false light. There is no life there. This is such an important awareness…and it is itself a gift of God.

(excerpted from Mercy--The Sacrament of Reconciliation)

Who are the people who I treat as if they were dead to me?

What habits or attitudes do I have in which there is “no life there”?

Today’s Prayer

Merciful God, the “false light” of sin is so alluring. Yet it does not hold life. Remind me of the deeper joy that comes from your way. Help me be willing to “wake up” to your call.

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