On the surface, the Parable of the Prodigal Son is a story of returning. Dig a little deeper and you will be captivated by the beautiful illustration of the nature of God’s love for us: unexpected, unmerited, generous, surprising, and forgiving. This story of the son’s dramatic exit and humble return home can speak to many circumstances of our own creation. However, Luke’s Gospel takes a major twist:
While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. // Luke 15:20b
Most of us can relate to the son, squandering something foolishly: an opportunity, inheritance, relationship, prayer life—you name it. And perhaps the real-time outcome for us was less than forgiving. What can we expect? We deserve it, we chide ourselves.
What the Parable of the Prodigal Son (and all of Scripture) aims to demonstrate is just how far the love of God reaches beyond our human understanding, and how far God will go to lavishly bestow that gift upon us. The Lord is forever inviting us to return!
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There is no more tangible place to receive that love, God’s holy presence, than at Mass. Whether you attend Mass daily or haven’t been back for a long time, Jesus reminds us constantly that He desires us to return to Him, again and again and again. This truth is so radically important for us to understand that God becomes present in four distinct ways when we gather for the Liturgy:
- The Word Proclaimed: God is revealed to us in Scripture because “the Word became flesh & dwelt among us (John 1:14).
- The Community: Christ promised His presence to those who gathered in His name (see Matthew 18:20).
- The Priest: The priest celebrating the Mass acts in persona Christi, in the person of Christ, making present the same Sacrifice of Christ that was offered on the Cross.
- The Eucharist: The Bread of Life, given to us at the Last Supper (see Luke 22:19-20).
Should we ever seek the consolation of a God who is near to us—in our joy and sorrow—our opportunity to gather to worship together at Mass is God’s very self revealed, and He is awaiting our response. In a particular way, in this year of the Eucharistic revival, awakening our sense of God’s nearness in the Eucharist couldn’t be more timely.
“In an ever-changing world, the Holy Eucharist is a constant reminder of the great reality of God’s changeless love.” // Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta
A favorite priest of mine liked to compare Mass and prayer to a tennis match—a back-and-forth conversation—a call and response. What he and so many holy men and women have come to understand about God is the radical way that the God of the universe becomes available to us: simply, profoundly, daily.
Perhaps the slower cadence of the summer’s lingering days offers an opportunity to accept the invitation to return to the Lord through the Mass.
Haven’t been to Mass in years? Return and come home.
Haven’t gathered for Mass since COVID? Return to Community.
Looking for God’s presence in your life? Return to a deeper rhythm of prayer.
Already go to Mass every week? Return to the Eucharist with new awareness.
WANT TO DEEPEN YOUR PRAYER?
Get ready to be radically changed by the Lord and His presence.
Be drawn into intimacy with the Lord by way of weekly videos, a community within the Blessed is She app, and invitations into reading scripture in a whole new way.
Katie Cassady is a regular contributor to the BIS blog. She is a wife and mom to three little girls in Denver, CO. Steeped in theological reflection, beekeeping and motherhood, she is appreciative of any and all wisdom she can glean from those living intentional lives of faith. Find out more about her here. Read all of Katie's posts here.
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