The Prodigal Son in Modern Life: The Return,
James Tissot, c. 1882, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nantes
(About this Image)
So he got up and went back to his father.
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 15:20)
Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the Second Reading
Fourth Sunday of Lent
2 Corinthians 5:17–21
March 27, 2022
We return to Corinth this week about a year after the events spoken
of last week (57 AD). The first letter to the Corinthians shows that
Paul left Corinth feeling that he had successfully addressed the
divisions in the community. He has since heard that people from outside
Corinth have come and created even greater dissension than before. It is
uncertain who they were or what they held but this may not be especially
important. They seem to have tailored the good news of Jesus to be good
business for them and presented a slick package. In our own terms, they
would be like TV health-and-wealth preachers as opposed to an evangelist
like Bishop Barron. Paul is so hurt that this is often called the
“letter of sorrow.”
Continue reading “4th Sunday of Lent – Called to the Work of a Lifetime”
