Saturday of the 2nd week of Lent
Mic 7:14-15;18-20
Lk 15:1-3;11-32
But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost, and is found.
When I was a child I had thought the word ‘prodigal’ meant ‘repentant’, like how we are after we have sinned, and made our confessions, and are now contrite and eager to turn over a new leaf. Much later, when I looked up the meaning of the word, I found out it meant ‘wasteful’, like in an overindulgent way. And I figured, yes, that son was really quite something else and the way he lived it up was on another level. Then two years ago, when I had to read this Gospel passage closely for a reflection, it occurred to me that the father in the parable was also prodigal — the finest robes, a ring, the carefully fattened calf, all this on top of the inheritance he had already lavished in vain on his younger son. No wonder the older son was angry! ‘Prodigal’ not only means wasteful — it also means yielding abundantly or luxuriant; to give without restraint; to lavish.
The father in this parable is of course, God the Father. The younger son is us, the repentant sinners. The older son is also sinners, but those who feel they deserve more because they aren’t the worst kind of sinners like the younger son. God is indeed prodigal. There is seemingly no end to his Mercy. There is also no end to his Justice. Mercy and Justice are two sides of the same coin. For a long time, I had trouble reconciling the two things — mercy seemed so unjust, while justice seemed merciless. Now, I am beginning to see that perhaps mercy and justice are the same thing.
Justice vs Mercy
Justice is basically getting your just desserts — getting what you deserve. This can be both good or bad. You get your punishment when you have done wrong, and you get your reward when you have done right. In the parable of the prodigal son, justice for the younger son is apparently punishment and banishment, while justice for the older son is inheritance and affirmation. What then, is mercy? Mercy is compassion, charity, leniency, clemency etc. It does seem to be at odds with justice, but perhaps we misunderstand. Mercy does not mean someone gets off the hook for doing something wrong. Mercy implies an act of charity and love towards the wrongdoer as a recognition of his dignity as a human being. This is despite, and on top of, his punishment. Justice and mercy can exist together at the same time, and they should.
Ever the Twain Shall Meet
To all the parents reading this, I’m sure you would now be familiar with terms like ‘respectful parenting’ or ‘gentle parenting’ and the like. These parenting styles are supposed to be a stark contrast to the traditional authoritarian parenting with an iron fist that was popular a generation or more ago. The new styles put the relationship between parent and child at the forefront, with mutual respect and communication being emphasised. The idea is that if the relationship is strong, if there is proper understanding and respect between them, children will feel properly loved and safe, and will be less likely to act up or rebel.In a similar way, Mercy as an extension of love seeks to create, maintain, or repair a broken relationship. It accords the wrongdoer respect and treats them as an equal, which, after all, they are. And this merciful treatment is the just treatment they deserve, in spite of what they have done.
As Mercy can be Justice, Justice can also be Mercy. People do not like getting caught and punished for wrongdoing. But it is better to be caught, punished, and put back on the right path than to continue down the wrong path. There is no charity or kindness in allowing someone to continue in the error of their ways. There is no love in allowing someone to stain their souls darker and darker with sin. Mercy is getting them to see the truth, to mend their ways, to atone for their sins, to bring them back to God. Bringing wrongdoers to justice is having mercy on them.
Forgiveness for Ourselves
Now we turn to our own selves. As justice is mercy, recognising our faults and trying to do better is good for our souls. While we acknowledge our weaknesses and failures, this must not become an excuse to sin. We have to face down and overcome even the venial sins to stop them from becoming worse sins. We need to allow the justice of it to fall on ourselves, as an act of mercy to ourselves.
What about the reverse? Mercy is justice, for ourselves. When we are wronged, we get hurt, angry; we also get even. Sometimes, we go beyond that and desire nothing but destruction for those who have wronged us. Other than the fact that the punishment should not be more than the crime, holding on to the resentment prevents us from healing. Holding on to anger prevents us from moving on. Vengeance hurts us and is not fair to us. We too, deserve to move on, to heal, to grow, and to thrive. Without showing mercy and forgiveness, we will cling on to toxic emotions. “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us” is not only about emulating God’s love, but also about allowing ourselves to experience the grace of God and to let go of the hurt and pain and anger so that we can start our journey back to wholeness. This is what we also deserve, and this is the justice that we can seek for ourselves. Allow feelings of mercy for the one who has wronged you. Allow forgiveness and charity for them.
Prodigal Love
The readings and psalm for today are about God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness. God the Father is indeed extravagant when it comes to us, his children. In order to be fair to ourselves and others, we need to learn to be just and merciful not just to others, but also to ourselves. In that way, we can fully experience and live in God’s prodigal love.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Felicia Zou)
Prayer: Dear Lord, teach us to forgive as you forgive us. Give us the grace to show mercy as you have shown mercy to us. Grant us the courage to correct wrongs and make amends when we need to.
Thanksgiving: Dear Lord, we thank You for Your unending love and patience for us, even when we fall so many times.
OXYGEN 
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