1.4 Response

STAGE 1: Facing Reality

EVIL ROOTED IN THE HEART

PLEADING FOR MERCY

RESPONSE

Aim: To respond personally and to help others respond to the call of conversion.

Reading

The heart of the father and the two bothers (Lk 15:11-32):

Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me’. So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, «Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands»’. So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son’. But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe – the best one – and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate”.

“Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound’. Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found’”.

Comment

What is our response to the call to conversion? Within us we often perceive, more or less simultaneously, the presence of the “two brothers”. At times we see ourselves as great sinners like the younger son. At other times, we hold on to self-righteousness and think there is nothing wrong with us, but deep down we experience sadness, anger, and very little faith, just like the elder son.

How does the Father respond to the situation? He conquers the rebellious heart of his younger son by means of a silent embrace or a silent kiss: “He put his arms around him and kissed him”. On the other hand, he conquers his elder son by means of a heart-to-heart dialogue.

Thus, the “way of the heart” is the most authentic response to the call to root out evil from our life. We need to become more familiar with the language of the heart, interiorize the embrace of the Father, relish the “taste of forgiveness”, and understand that it’s not our feeling righteous or good that saves us but our feeling loved.

Personal Reflection and Sharing

In my conversion process, when I feel called to “come to my senses”, in what ways are the “two brothers” responding in me?

In helping others to respond to conversion, how do I interiorize the Father’s heart that goes out to “embrace” and “dialogue”?

[1-4] CALL RESPONSE COMMITMENT PRAYER