Today’s Gospel of the prodigal son starts off in a horrific way. The son saying to his Father, “Give me my inheritance now”, is not just a sensationally selfish demand but it also means, “You might as well be dead to me”, because we only receive an inheritance when someone dies. We all inherit things. I have my parent’s Crystal wedding bowl, safely kept in my room at St George’s College in Weybridge, England. If there were a fire it is one of three objects I would rush to rescue. It is laden with memories, love and hopes.
But what is our inheritance as Christians? It is the Kingdom that is offered to us. We celebrate with the Kingdom Feast of the Eucharist, “Do this in memory of me”. The Kingdom is described as that of light, happiness and peace; states of joy that come from knowing we are loved and to love others in return. The Kingdom is somewhere we long be go to, we hope to be and is not something to be squandered.
So I pose this question, “Is our faith one of our prized possessions since it was gifted to us by God”? Or do we waste it and take it for granted? Which leads to another question, “If we do misuse this gift of faith, do we deserve the parallel gift of forgiveness that pulls us back into the Kingdom”? I leave you to ponder and reflect on these questions in hope-filled Lenten Joy!
May God bless you, your families, and the week ahead,
Fr Aidan Peter