After a long journey, it is always nice to have someone pick you up from the airport so you can feel like you are home before you arrive. No waiting for a taxi. You see your loved one and smile with joy, and are whisked away in the comfort of the car. While traveling may be exciting, the difficult part of being away from home ends early when you see your friend or family member arrive to greet you.
In The Parable of the Lost Son, Jesus tells us about a young man who squanders his inheritance and yet is welcomed home with open arms. The son, who hoped to return to his father’s home as a mere servant, is clothed and fed at a banquet given in his honor. His seat is restored at his father’s table without even having to ask. This amazes him.
For anyone who is lukewarm about God, this parable is your invitation to return to God the Father through Jesus. He is waiting for you to remember Him and to realize that you can find Him at home in the Church. He is waiting for you to journey home and call out to him in prayer.
I did this years ago, returning to a life of faith and prayer. I wandered into church for Mass filled with a sense of inner shame from having been away so long, but there was no scolding. I was not sent back to religious education to make up for being away. I confessed to God that I was wrong, and I was immediately welcomed back to supper at His table. Anyone can take this path and need not be afraid.
Having already made that journey, now it is the last part of the parable that I need to keep in mind. The more I attend Mass and volunteer to serve others, the easier it is to expect God to be more attentive to me. Like the elder son in the parable who stayed and served his father, it is easy to expect some sign of honor. But I must be content in my heart to know that God loves me. First or last, God’s love alone is the reward. And like the traveler who is picked up by a loved one at the airport to complete the journey in comfort, the elder son was living in the comfort of his father’s home all along.
Después de un largo viaje, siempre es agradable que alguien te recoja en el aeropuerto para que te sientas en casa incluso antes de llegar, sin tener que esperar un taxi. Ves a tu ser querido, sonríes con alegría y te lleva cómodamente en el auto. Si bien viajar puede ser emocionante, la parte difícil de estar lejos de casa termina pronto cuando ves llegar a tu amigo o familiar para recibirte.
En la Parábola del Hijo Pródigo, Jesús nos habla de un joven que malgasta su herencia y, sin embargo, es recibido con los brazos abiertos. El hijo, que esperaba regresar a la casa de su padre como un simple sirviente, es vestido y alimentado en un banquete ofrecido en su honor. Le devuelven su lugar en la mesa de su padre sin que lo tenga que pedir. Esto lo asombra al joven.
Para cualquiera que sea tibio en su relación con Dios, esta parábola es una invitación a regresar a Dios Padre a través de Jesús. Él espera que lo recuerdes y que te des cuenta de que puedes encontrarlo en casa, en la Iglesia. Él te espera esperando a que regreses a casa y le invoques en oración.
Yo lo hice hace años, retomando una vida de fe y oración. Entré a la iglesia para la misa con un sentimiento de vergüenza por haber estado tanto tiempo ausente, pero no hubo reproches. No me enviaron de vuelta a la catequesis para compensar mi ausencia. Le confesé a Dios mi error, y fui inmediatamente recibido de nuevo en su mesa. Cualquiera puede tomar este camino y no tiene por qué temer.
Habiendo realizado ya ese viaje, ahora debo recordar la última parte de la parábola. Cuanto más asisto a misa y me ofrezco como voluntario para servir a los demás, más fácil es esperar que Dios me preste más atención. Como el hijo mayor de la parábola que se quedó a servir a su padre, es fácil esperar alguna muestra de honor. Pero debo contentarme en mi corazón con saber que Dios me ama. Aunque sea la primera o la última, el amor de Dios es la única recompensa. Y igual que el viajero que un ser querido recoge en el aeropuerto para completar el viaje con comodidad, el hijo mayor había estado viviendo en la comodidad del hogar de su padre todo este tiempo.
Anita Renaghan is the author of several books including literary fiction, science fiction, and a young adult trilogy. She loves a good character study and has been many characters herself including: an aircraft mechanic in the Air Force, a college graduate, a second degree blackbelt, lost, a waitress and bartender, a wife and mother, an account executive, found, and a constantly inventive singer-songwriter. Anita is interested in sharing her faith with others through her writings and story characters. Her website is anitarenaghan.com
Feature Image Credit: mali maeder, pexels.com/photo/brown-and-gray-house-1483064/
The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.
1-800-994-9817