4th Sunday of Lent, Year C
Today’s gospel reading from the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, chapter 15, verse 1 to 3, and verse 11 to 32 gives us the parable of the prodigal son. The parable of the prodigal son is in my opinion, is the best explanation of what repentance is. It teaches us what repentance is, why repentance is important and how we can repent from our sins.
What is Repentance? Repentance is the action of repenting; a sincere regret or remorse for the wrongs done. It is a change of heart and mind that brings us closer to God, which includes turning away from sin and turning to God for forgiveness. It is motivated by love for God and a sincere desire to obey His commandments.
Why is Repentance important in our lives today? Repentance is important in our lives today because it makes us acknowledge our wrongdoings, seek forgiveness from God, and strive to make positive spiritual changes in our lives that will lead us to our spiritual growth and a deeper relationship with God. Repentance is important also because it frees us from our sins, transforms us to be better children of God and disciples of Christ; helps us grow spiritually stronger, and spiritually renews us to form a better bond with God.
How can we repent from our sins? We can repent of our sins by following the example of the prodigal son in today’s gospel reading, which entails:
- Recognizing our sins through an examination of conscience.
- Acknowledging our sins and admitting to ourselves that we have sinned.
- Feeling contrite, remorseful and sorrowful for our actions, that is, renouncing our sins.
- Confessing our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
- Making amends for our sins and a firm commitment to change our lives and avoid repeating them.
- And sincerely renewing our lives, by taking steps to love God and our neighbor better.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us use this Lenten season to truly repent of our sins and go back to God like the prodigal son did by recognizing our sins, acknowledging them as wrong, being contrite and remorseful for them, confessing them in the sacrament of reconciliation, making amends for them, and sincerely renewing our spiritual lives.
