Message from Pastor

Dear brothers and sisters,

 

A few weeks ago, a book titled Biography of Reconciliation fell into my hands. Reading it made me reflect on conflict, pain, and the value of restorative processes. There are times when we remain tied to other people by problems and painful situations we have experienced with them, and we need to be able to untie ourselves to fly free and in peace again.

 

It is a fact that in our lives we accumulate experiences of pain and conflict that, if they fester, can create blockages and leave wounds that condition an entire life. Couples who have loved each other intensely and who, despite the physical separation after the breakup, remain tied to each other by a bond of pain and unconfronted truths; family relationships that at one time deteriorated and continue to condition the present with things that happened long ago, but that have not been fully restored; daily conflicts of everyday life that, if not spoken about and listened to, can leave wounds, silence, and suffering within.

 

Today's Gospel is the spiritual compass that allows us to find our way through all these situations. Jesus revealed to us the true face of God by portraying him as a patient and merciful father, so capable of accepting the offense and ingratitude of his departed son, yet waiting with open arms to bestow affection and forgiveness upon his return.

 

A generous God who knows how to listen and wait for each person's time. A God who turns the mistakes and disloyalty of his children into opportunities for his love to shine more brightly. A God who can restore our lives, but who knows how to wait until we have the clarity to realize that we need him.

 

Praying with today's Gospel helps us embrace our fragility and even give thanks for those painful situations that have served to experience God's reconciliation, mercy, and love. Praying with today's Gospel helps us escape the routine of always being at home, which can cause our faith to grow cold and our hearts to harden.

 

A merciful God teaches us to write our biography of mercy, experienced with ourselves and practiced with those who may have hurt us at some point, but instead of harboring resentment or chronic pain, we have been able to transform it into an experience of healing and peace.

 

Happy Sunday!

 

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