A lenten journey of love and reconciliation

Mar 28, 2025

4th Sunday of Lent (C)
Readings: Joshua 5:9-12;
2 Corinthians 5:17-21;
Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

We are now entering the fourth week of Lent, a season traditionally marked by selfdenial through fasting, almsgiving, and prayer. For many of us, Lent becomes an opportunity to engage in spiritual exercises aimed at becoming more Christ-like. Yet, if we are honest, we often find ourselves slipping back into old habits once the season ends. The question is: why do we so frequently revert to our pre-Lenten selves?

We all desire our Lent to be a time of penance, walking alongside our Lord on His journey to Jerusalem. For some, it’s driven by a need for mercy, repentance, and forgiveness, while for others, it’s about denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and following Christ. These are noble intentions, but are they enough to sustain us throughout the season? Often, we find ourselves faltering halfway through, lacking the strength or determination to continue our Lenten observances. To make these practices truly transformative, we must shift our mindset. Our motivation should not just be about obligation or self-discipline, but a deep and genuine love for God.

The parable of the prodigal son in today’s Gospel beautifully illustrates the love story between us and God. When we think of God’s mercy, this parable often comes to mind, influencing retreats, paintings, and songs. Yet, when we reflect on this story, we usually focus on the mercy and compassion of the Father, as well as the sincere repentance of the wayward son. However, it’s important to recognise that without love, neither party would have acted in the way they did. True repentance becomes deeper and more lasting when it is motivated by love for God, rather than merely the fear of punishment.

This should not come as a surprise to us, for this is what we were created to be. The Book of Genesis tells us that God created us in His image and likeness. And since God is love, we are all reflections of His love to one another. This means we are not only capable of receiving God’s love but also sharing it with others. Unfortunately, due to life’s challenges and experiences, we often forget this beautiful truth. The cares and worries of life wear us down, gradually leading us farther away from the source of Love itself. For many, the image of God becomes one of judgment, with a ledger in hand, meting out punishment for our sins.

While we know we must face the consequences of our sins, when we return to God like the prodigal son, we should do so with hearts filled with love for Him. It is only when we are deeply in love with God that we will earnestly strive to protect and nurture our relationship with Him. On a human level, when we are in love with someone, we naturally do our best to preserve the bond we share. The same applies to our relationship with God. True reconciliation between two people occurs when both set aside their differences and embrace one another in genuine, fraternal love.

This image of intimate reconciliation is beautifully captured in a song by the trio Phillips, Craig & Dean, titled “When God Ran,” released in 1999. Part of the lyrics go like this: “The only time I ever saw Him run was when He ran to me. He took me in His arms, held my head to His chest... with forgiveness in His voice, He said, ‘Son, do you know I still love you?’ He caught me by surprise when God ran.” How much more beautiful can God’s love be? God, running toward us, full of love, to welcome us back into His embrace. This is the image of God we should carry in our hearts, not one of a distant, judging figure.

The intimate love of God for us is powerfully expressed in John 3:16, one of the most wellknown verses about God’s love: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This is the ultimate expression of God’s love — a love revealed through the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. It is the journey we began on Ash Wednesday and will culminate on Easter Sunday. As we continue our Lenten journey, let us do so with hearts filled with love, always returning to the Father, knowing that we will always be met with His love in return.

Fr Philip Tay is assistant priest at the Church of the Visitation, Seremban