Fourth Sunday of Lent Reflection

Fourth Sunday of Lent
Jason McKean, Board Member
It’s the fourth Sunday of Lent, which means we are just over halfway through the season. Maybe the season has begun to feel like a bit of a slog. Happily, the Church puts before us the story of the Prodigal Son this Sunday, in which the father celebrates his son’s return: Fresh clothes! A ring on the finger! A feast! And music! And dancing! It’s good to be reminded that for all the challenges of the season, its closure will bring joy (and feasting!) greater even than the parable’s father figure.

I’d like share a reflection, though, that while this story may remind us of the closing celebration, we can find other ones along the way when we pay attention. I am sponsoring my nephew for his confirmation next month, and we were asked to meet to talk with each other about our experiences of our Catholic faith. There were two pages of single-spaced questions to answer. At first a bit annoyed by this task, as we went along I realized: I’d not previously understood the depth of his faith, and was impressed – and humbled. I saw a question that I needed to answer: am I living up to what Lent, and Jesus, is asking of me?

The answer, perhaps unsurprisingly at this point in the essay, was “erm, not really.” In many mentoring relationships, the mentor learns as much and maybe more than the mentee.​

As we kept talking, we began to plan out additional ways to connect over our faith. We’ll be reading a book together (Seven Last Words by Fr. James Martin), and he and I are choosing a method of praying that we’ll do together (maybe a Rosary, or a lectio divina session…TBD). I’m sure those will benefit him as a confirmand, but they are also going to benefit my Lent, and my relationship with Jesus. And so, this Prodigal Son both looks forward to concluding Lent with Easter’s risen Christ and also appreciates the gift of conversion on the way there. My prayer is that you find yours along the way, too.