Luke 15, Prodigal Son, 2022 homily by Fr. Nathan Hall

The Prodigal son is a master piece and corner stone of the way of life that Jesus taught. Because the piece of the puzzle it fills is God’s description of His Children. You see, so often WE attempt to define who we are with lists of things that we do or things we have. But in the end, human definitions of ourselves just fall short … leading us to being unsatisfied or even more confused than we began with. Let’s look at the section of the Prodigal Son that is most important for our meditation on this, and then apply it to ourselves.

The part of the Prodigal Son that expresses what Jesus is trying to teach us about our own identity comes from the return. The Prodigal Son was all sorts of prepared with a speech about how he’s betrayed the father, how he doesn’t deserve anything, and how the son will just work as a hired servant from now on.

You see where this comes from? Shame. The son screwed up and he realized that his life outside his father’s house was fun for a while … but then was just dark, lonely, and confusing. At that low point, he remembered the father. The love. The support. The community. And that longing brought him to travel home.

In the end, the son can’t even go through his speech of saying how awful he is because the father interrupts him. Shoes as a sign of support. Robes to protect and comfort him. And the ring, telling the whole world that this is the father’s son. The son thought because of what he did, he should just be a servant. But he’s wrong. He was always the father’s son … He just had to realize it and come back and live it.

For us. How readily and how easily do we try to trade away our Christianity when we don’t think we’re living up to it well enough? Human nature is inclined to just give up who we are when our own definitions aren’t met. I’ve seen it all the time, people tell themselves things like well, I’m not good at praying so I’m not even going to try. Or I missed one Sunday mass, guess I’m just one who doesn’t always go to mass and I’m not going to confess it.

There are so many problems with these personal definitions. Your Christianity is not a title that can be taken away from you. It’s not a job that you can be fired from. You are a son or daughter of God and that’s a fact of reality. It can’t change. The sooner you and I can ingrain this into our hearts the sooner we’ll actually start living Christianity better. Because just like the Prodigal Son we’ll start to see that life, apart from God, is repetitive, drab, and just plain boring. Here in the Church is the actual battle for eternity. God consistently comes under the disguise of bread and wine. I stand, sit, or kneel just yards away from God Himself. Having the title of child of God is not an honor I’ve earned, but it’s also something that can’t be taken away from me. We just have to do the same thing the Prodigal Son did … remind ourselves where we truly belong. And when we’re NOT living up to our sonship or daughtership … we have to return.

For the son … it was just walking toward the father. For us, it’s the internal prayer of walking to God the Father, living Christ’s way of life. Confession is the avenue through which we return to the Father. Then we get everything the Father wants to give us. The Prodigal son got those shoes, a robe, a ring. Us? Things that assist us in the same way. Protection from being manipulated. Comfort in knowing we’re always loved. And knowledge that you are always a child a God and you can always come home, no matter how far you stray.

When I was working as an engineer, I had a great parish in Omaha, NE. And because it was smaller we were able to do things like coffee and rolls after some of the Sundays. Well after one mass, I was chatting at the coffee and rolls and started to talk with one of the ladies who was handing out donuts…which as we all know…the donut lady is most important person to get to know. She might have set aside some Strawberry Shortcake Croissant Donuts. Anyway, I just had to tell her how I admired everything she did in the parish. She helped out with parish fundraisers, she taught CCD, and was active with the new married couples. Of course she was humble and said thank you…but then she said something I’ll always remember, “I’m just grateful that I found the Catholic Church…You see…I’m a convert.” I’ve got to be honest…I’ve always been in awe of people that converted to the faith. The majority of those that I’ve met seem to be full of the Holy Spirit and thankful for the Church.

And this donut lady…she was on fire for the faith. I had a moment of desire to be that alive and happy to be in the same church that Jesus Christ Himself founded. So it did cause me to stop a moment and to think about myself. I was born and raised Catholic (A cradle Catholic as they say)…I was kinda apathetic as a teen…then I did the classic “fight with the Church” during the college years…but then I had to be honest with myself. I had what I felt to be my own conversion. I started to actually read about what the Church taught…Most importantly…I started to ask questions AND seek answers. But yeah…in short…I thought to myself…I guess I converted myself.

And that’s actually what’s at the heart of the season of Lent. Conversion. We think about converting as something that non-Catholics do in order to become Catholic. Like they go through a program called RCIA which is “The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults” and then when they are welcomed into the Church at Easter…then they have quote unquote “Converted.” However, this is actually a narrow definition of conversion. One of the best definitions of “conversion” has been given to us by the Church. Conversion isn’t just a non-Catholic becoming Catholic….but is in fact when ANYONE moves toward the Truth. It’s best to think of conversion like a movement. A movement from being turned-away from God to facing Him. It’s a simple imagine to think about. NOT facing God…then turning toward Him. But Conversion is two things. It is interior…and it is life-changing. Conversion really does change who you are at your core. As a college kid…my disposition was self-focused and how I could make myself happy. Converting to loving God more made me realize that selfishness is not fulfilling…and I started to actually think of other people more than ME ME ME.

So today we have a beautiful representation of conversion in the Gospel. We have the story of the Prodigal Son. A son who demanded the inheritance, wandered away, squandered everything on pleasure, BUT FINALLY…turned away from all that to return home to his Father.

This is a story of true conversion and it can be related to converting to God. A movement from being turned AWAY from God…then…an interior LIFE-CHANGING orientation toward Him. First…how much had the son turned away from the father? The answer is given when the son asks for his inheritance. When Jesus told this parable … the people knew exactly what it meant to ask for one’s inheritance while the father was still alive. It meant…the son wished the father was dead. It’s shocking. But what Jesus is doing is setting the stage and letting people know who all can CONVERT. Christ is stating that there is no-one NO-ONE who can stray too far from Him. It’s not just people who don’t believe in God…but even those who hate God and might wish He was dead. Again, Christ is telling us….There’s not a single point…disposition…state of life… that you can reach…where you can’t come back from. That is the first thing to know. Wherever you are…there’s always the invitation…and that invitation is: You can always turn toward God.

Next…the movement toward the father. The son took stock of his life. He thought about where he was. In his case…he was abandoned…tired…hungry…and lonely. The son was anxious. Where would his next meal come from? But…then he remembered his father’s house. A place of rest. A place of peace. The place where he was called and belonged. Again…take stock of your own life. So meditate just like the son did…Where are you? Are you far from God? Don’t believe. Are you…questioning? Lord, I think You’re in my life…but I need to know you more. Or…are you close to God? Even if you feel close the amazing thing is…we can always get closer. But first…Be like the son. Take stock of where you are with the reality of your true home which is simply…heaven. Heaven is the place where God is waiting for you…the place where you and I belong. The place of joy.

Finally, the last step of conversion that the son shows us…moving toward the Father. One of my favorite parts is how the son had this big speech prepared. “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ The son is ready to give up who he is…JUST to be back in the home where he belongs. But I love this part…the son BARELY gets out his repentance when the Father cuts him off. Enough! Restore his place as my son.

How often do we sin…or think we’re not good enough to be in Church? You wouldn’t believe how many people I’ve met who have said, “Well deacon…I would go to church…but I’ve done too many bad things.” Honestly…as soon as I’ve said that…I’m sure we’ve all thought of family or friends who have said something to the effect of “I’m too far gone.” We’re all so tempted to GIVE UP our place as beloved son or daughter of God in order because we think we can only sneak our way into heaven.

BUT Jesus is telling us how it really is! As soon as we travel and turn back to God…state that we’re sorry…we’re back to WHO we really are.

This last movement of conversion … of moving toward the Father…is confession. In the sacrament of confession…also known as the Sacrament of Reconciliation…we tell Christ through the priest all we have a done. I’ve done this that many times…and I did that a few times…etc. etc. In short, Jesus gave us the gift of the priesthood AND confession to live out conversion. It’s so simple. Use the sacrament to RECONCILE with God. Then…we once again become that beloved son or daughter of God and are getting ready to live in the place we’re called to live…Heaven…our home.

Overall, conversion is not just a program that you go through, where move from point A (a non-believer) to point B (where you are welcomed into the Church). Instead, conversion is a turning toward God. Remember this parable of the Prodigal Son to help you understand conversion. First, there’s no place too far. Anyone can come move toward God. Second, take stock of where we are now…in order to kind of plan and get ready for the movement toward God. Finally, use the sacrament of confession… because you really don’t have to sneak into heaven by giving up your identity as son or daughter of God. Instead…we’re all meant to reconcile with God.

Use the idea of conversion in your own life this Lent to make that interior and life-changing turning toward God. In addition, spread hope to people who think they’re too far gone. As you receive Communion today and are UNITED to Jesus Christ…pray simply. “God, help me to convert daily toward You, so that one day I may joyfully enter my true home where I belong…heaven.”