This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad. Psalm 118:24. Royal Banquets, Corn Husks and a Fatted Calf.
Your Highness, in spite of all you have received, you still have the power to say, "No!" to your heavenly Father, "No!" to His loving Son and, "No!" to the Lord Holy Spirit. In fact you still have the power to say, "No!" to who you are.
What happens when one says, "No!" to our King? Each time we say, "No!" to the grace of God, we are slowly isolating ourselves from the Life and Light of Jesus. When this happens, we default to our own knowledge, our own darkness, our own isolation and our own hunger and starvation. Slowly (as we saw with the effects of sin), our soul, lacking spiritual oxygen, suffocates, shrivels up and eventually dies. Without Gods' Love and His Life that issues therefrom, the terrified soul starves to death.
Each time we say, "No!" to the grace of God, we say, "No.!" to the flow of Life from Him to us. If we persist on such a path, our heart will become hard and dry like a barren desert. If this happens, everything within us will eventually die. This is not our lot, your Highness.
If we are to bear heavenly fruit (if we are to make good decisions, decisions that will encourage life and creativity in others and in so doing give glory to God), we must dwell in Christ Jesus and He must dwell in us, for as He says very clearly, "cut off from me you can do nothing." What cuts us off from the Vine, from Him? A love for sin.
[Persons who choose to live by their own strengths and resources all of their life, who choose to live by their own vision of what is important, who choose to live by their own priorities- will one day find themselves in a dark corner with nowhere to go. When a crisis does strike, they are unable to turn to God, whose Love and Presence they have either constantly denied or turned their hearts from. Such individuals have deliberately chosen to live their lives as if God was some sort of a "spare tire," only to be used in the event of an emergency, "when there was absolutely, positively, unquestionably no other way out." Such a person is in fact saying, "Look you (God), don't bother me- stay out of my life until I need you." This is not how a loving child lives with a loving Father. This is not how a creature lives with his or her Creator. It is especially heartbreaking to see such persons in their senior years, when they "lose a spouse" to senility or dementia or some other terrible disease. Having said no to God all of their life, our dear Lord is now a Stranger where they are concerned. They face this situation (like all the others) alone. How heartbreaking and how very sad. Such individuals are unable to run through the doors of death into their King's arms. Staff in palliative care will tell you, "You die the way you live."]
16.2 Leaving our Father's home.
There was once a simple but very elegant flowerpot. It was home for some of the most beautiful lilies in the world. Though they all looked alike, each was very different from the other and each contributed generously to the beauty of the whole. All were delightfully delicate and full of life. Collectively, they were a burst of immaculate splendor.
But all was not well in this floral community. One flower continually lamented, "I don't want to live with these other lilies. I don't want to be a part of this dull family where nothing ever happens. I want to be on my own, in my own elegant flowerpot. I want to leave this terrible place."
So for a long while, it suppressed the life-giving nutrients from coming into its stem. Its colors began to pale as the stress of denial went on and on and on. Each day all the lily could think of was that it was one day closer to freedom. Each day, the stem dried up more and more.
Then one day, the lily felt strangely different. The dying stem was turning brittle and weakening. The weight of the bloom caused the weakened stem to lean over further and further. The flower sensed its upcoming freedom and with anticipation prepared itself for leaving this terrible, dull and boring place. Suddenly it began to droop sideways and it soon fell out of the pot. As it was plummeting through the air, you could hear it singing, "Free, free, I'm free at last. Wheee! Oh!"
Without warning it hit the floor. Dazed, it began to cough from all the dust that was now choking it (there was no fresh air here). Sensing its new surroundings as alien for its survival, it frantically began to search for water and soil, but none was to be found. Neither was there any life-giving light.
With terror in its heart, it saw that what it chose to believe to be true was completely false, an illusion, but now it was too late. Looking at its stem, it saw the break area, which by now had blackened. It no longer had the sweet task of bringing life, color and majesty to its regal petals. Its other half was still in the soil above, testifying to the presence of one who once was but who is now no more. In silence the lily lay on the floor, so close but so very far from home. It had cut itself off from a life source that made it the most regal flower in all creation. Now it was impossible to go back.
Covered with dust and dirt, its beautiful white satin gown was no longer shiny and smooth. It blackened and shriveled as life continued ebbing away. The flowers above, unaware of the tragedy, continued the glorify the room, basking in the delight of all who admired them. Suddenly a dark mass descends on it. Fear paralyzes the lily. With thundering indifference it is instantly crushed by a boot; its heel tearing its fragile remains apart. "What have I done? What have I done? Ohhh!"
Like the lily, the person who says, "No!" to God's Love does exactly the same thing. This terror is compounded when such a person is also head of a family and subjects his spouse and children to follow in his darkness, they who are in the Light. No wonder there is friction and confrontation, no wonder there are broken hearts. No wonder families are torn apart.
Your Highness, our choices must change from a constant stream of, "NO!" "NO!" "NO!" to God's Love for us, to:
"Yes my loving Father."
The sacrament of reconciliation is no luxury or frill. It is indispensable in preventing you from being asphyxiated by your own breath. This life-restoring sacrament gives your eternal soul the spiritual oxygen it needs to survive, to love and to forgive.
Your Highness, it is necessary to receive often a renewed assurance of God's love, trust and confidence in you. Simple human failings, preoccupations, impatience, frustrations and the like eventually begin to separate us from Him. Our dear Lord knows this. When these things happen, He is there to reassure you in a personal and intimate way, through His loving sacrament of reconciliation. Through His minister, He is there, with open arms and an understanding heart, to receive you, to hear you, to say:
"Now that you know why this has happened, you are much stronger for it. Now will be able to easily see dangers like this in the future."
"I love you for having come to Me for encouragement and strength. I will always be with you, do not worry."
Your Highness, you need never have any doubt about where you stand as you go about your Father's business. (1) You are never alone. Our dear Lord is always with you. No one but you can prevent Him from moving heaven and earth to be with you.
It is not even necessary for you to ask for forgiveness, since Christ did this for you when He said, "Father, forgive them, for they know naught what they do." (2)
Sincere repentance for having broken your Father's Heart and for having harmed those He has placed with you is all that you need; it's all that you can say and do. Receive Jesus' loving embrace often. Hear Him tell you, "I love you, I love you, I love you. All your sins are forgiven. Do not worry, we will always be together."
Over the centuries our dear Lord welcomed saints and sinners, beggars and kings, murderers and thieves. His arms are open to everyone, persons from all walks of life, from all backgrounds and from all sorts of situations. There is not a thing He has not forgiven anyone with a contrite heart. It would be a real tragedy for you if you thought there was something you did that He could not forgive. This would break our dear Lord's heart, more than your transgression. How would you feel if your child thought this of you? Would it not break your heart if your best friend felt this way about you? Do not let anything prevent you from receiving the peace and security of His forgiving arms.
How close is Jesus' loving embrace? He is as close as His minister in this most beautiful sacrament of reconciliation. Do not hold anything back. Why should you? Your lot as God's child is to walk tall and proud, not to cower or slink through this wonderful Life He gives to you. God will never abandon you. Do not abandon Him.
Sweethearts should receive this wonderful sacrament together. Each loving heart needs the reassuring consoling peace of our dear Lord. Afterwards, let there be a celebration. Whether it's an ice-cream cone or an evening dinner, for truly there is no other God as close to us as is our God. "And indeed, what great nation is there that has its gods so near as Yahweh our God is to us whenever we call him?" (3)
Your Highness, do you want to have Life, Love and Light for your soul and for those souls God confides into your care? Receive His loving arms in the sacrament of reconciliation as often as possible. It is only in being comforted by His forgiving embraces, that you will find the joy and heavenly euphoria in forgiving Others. "Those who prove victorious I will allow to share my throne, just as I was victorious myself and took my place with my Father on his throne. If anyone has ears to hear let him listen to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches." (4)
16.3 Thirty-two years away from Home.
One day while on duty in the hospital's pastoral care department, the Sister in charge came to me and said, "Raymond, Mr. --- in room --- has not been to church for 32 years. Yesterday he received the sacrament of reconciliation and now he wishes to receive communion. Would you like to bring him the holy Eucharist?"
Your Highness, imagine yourself in the arms of a person with whom you are deeply in love. Then, for 32 years you chose to close your heart to that love. For most of your adult life you rejected his or her loving exhortations, choosing instead to live in cold indifference to her supplications. Now, as if awakening from a terrible nightmare, 32 years later you find yourself face to face with that loving heart, still there, still waiting for you.
For 32 years this soul said no to his King's Love. Now, because of a miraculous "Yes!" because of our Lord's forgiving Heart, his own dead heart is now alive once more. Now, 32 years later, the cherished memories of that first love are resurrected into a full, living vibrant reality in his life once again. His heart will again beat as it did during those tender moments 32 years ago. The emotional impact of such a reunion staggers one's imagination.
The next day I went to his room. I did not know who was more nervous, him or me. I asked our dearest Mother Mary to help me be a dependable minister for our dear Lord, to let me help Him seal this loving reconciliation with His gift of Himself. Excitement filled my heart. During the introductions we both felt the eternal dimension of the moment envelop us. The event so overwhelmed me, I could not read all the preparatory prayers.
I told him how happy I was to be with him at this very special time in his life. Taking the pix from the table I opened it, removed the sacred Host, held it up, met him in the very depths of his soul and said, "(Name) behold the Lamb of God, He who takes away the sins of the world." At this point, tears started to run down his cheeks. I responded for him, "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you . . ." but could not finish, my heart was overwhelmed.
After being away for a lifetime, He was once again back in His Lord's loving embrace. He closed his eyes and embraced his King. In this loving reunion, he was now oblivious to my presence. "At the favourable time, I will answer you; on the day of salvation I will help you". (5)
There was nothing else for me to do but to leave him and Jesus together in their special personal love for each other. On his bedside table, I left a picture of our dear mother Mary. I had written a prayer on the back, a prayer of thanksgiving for him to give her. After 32 years of being away from one's Mother, sometimes it is not easy to find words to express what we want to say. He returned to his heavenly home two days later.
Your Highness, none of this would have happened had he not said "Yes!" to Jesus. None of this would have happened, had he not received His loving embrace through the resurrecting sacrament of reconciliation. "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." (6) This is but one example of God's healing, life-giving love for you and me, in His wonderful sacrament of reconciliation.
16.4 Our prodigal escapade.
Many of us (like the doctor and this sick man) have sinned this way. One way or another we told our heavenly Father:
"Father, I want my youth. I want my health. I want my strength. I want my future. I want my dreams. They all belong to ME. They are mine. I'm going somewhere where I can make better use of them, better than staying here and living with you where nothing exciting ever happens."
And so we left our home (our heart) and went to a very distant country. Some went to live in the land of logic and reason (their head) and others to the land of the flesh, promiscuity and permissiveness (their body). After awhile, after we squandered our youth, our health, our strength, our future and our dreams, we suffered a great famine. We starved for real love, for real fulfillment, real security, and for real peace. We were dying for want of real love, for want of relishing the happiness of being really alive.
We soon realized that the food in these far away countries (the land of reason and the land of the flesh) was neither nourishing nor satisfying. It was fit only for animals who ate everything and anything thrown to them, no matter what it was. It was not food that we were used to as Monarchs in the Kingdom of God. And then (like the doctor and this sick man) one day we remembered how happy we were in our heavenly Father's home (our heart). Here we received real food. His cupboards overflowed with the nourishment of true love, of real peace, of real security. This is our true home, here are our real roots.
Like the prodigal son, many of us then left those foreign lands to return home. We told our heavenly Father that we sinned by leaving Him and His bountiful, liberal and extravagant Love for us. We told Him that we were truly sorry for having hurt Him and wasted those precious gifts so generously given to us by Him. We asked Him for his forgiveness, to be able to live at home, with Him. He welcomed us with open arms and celebrated our return with a Royal Banquet.
16.5 The bottom line.
Dearest Friend, if you have left home taking your share of the inheritance, your heavenly Father maintains His watch on the horizon, looking, hoping, waiting. When He sees the very first sign of your return, He will jump for joy. He will have His servants (loved ones and ministers) wash you and clean you (sacrament of reconciliation). He will dress you with a new garment (a robe of the whitest, purest, richest grace). There will be a great celebration for you at His banquet table (the Eucharist) and there will be much rejoicing. (7) Once the festivities are over, you and your heavenly Father will love and hug each other every day. You will never to be separated from one another again, for truly there is no other God as close to you as is your God.
The Return of the Prodigal Son.
REMBRANDT