Today's Liturgy begins with the word, "Rejoice"; we might ask ourselves why should we rejoice, but the readings answer our question.

Our first reading from Joshua recaptures the events of the Israelites as they trekked from Egypt toward the Promised Land. Recall that during this journey all had been fed with manna sent daily by God; recall also that this journey had taken forty years. So by the time the events recorded took place, all the adults who had left Egypt were dead, and there existed a "new creation." The manna of the journey disappeared; it was time to eat "the yield of the land." Change brings newness.

In our second reading, St. Paul enlarges upon the image of a "new creation" by starting that, "whoever is in Christ is a new creation…" We who believe have been charged with brining all things to Christ. Paul names us "ambassadors for Christ." Our task is to reconcile all things to Christ because we have been reconciled through Christ. Actually what does this mean - it requires that we bring things into harmony; it means we forgive.

Where do we find the strength to live in the presence of the Lord? How are we able to bring things to Christ? The answer is found in the Responsorial Psalm where we are encouraged to "Taste and see the goodness of the Lord." Not only do we receive constant blessings by partaking of the new manna, the Eucharist, which truly is food for our journey, but we also are "delivered from all fears." We are reconciled; we are forgiven.

Should we need additional assurance that we should rejoice, our Gospel recounts the well known story of forgiveness, the Prodigal Son. We well might gasp at how the younger son threw away his inheritance; we know we would never do that…or do we? Have we wasted time, talents, money, energy on useless maybe even forbidden desires? Most of us could hang our heads and say, "Guilty." But let us concentrate on the father in the story. When the son asked for his share of the estate, "the father divided the property between them." No pleading, no argument…just recognition of another's will. Our Father allows us to choose our path. "Then while he (the son) was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion." Since the son was still at a distance, the father must have been awaiting his return. In our families do not parents hope and pray that the erring child will see the light?

In the parable of the Prodigal Son we see reconciliation in a glorious exhibition of love and forgiveness - clearly a reason to rejoice. How blessed we are as we trek toward Easter to have before us the image of the "new things that have come" no longer is God to be feared; God is to be loved and followed

O God, grant us the courage to contemplate your yearning for us and to try in our small way to reconcile your creation and your abounding love.

Sr. Miriam Catherine Nevins, OP