First Reading (Joshua 5,9a.10-12)
Reading from the Book of Joshua.
In those days, the Lord said to Joshua: “Today I have taken away from you the reproach of Egypt.” The Israelites camped in Gilgal and celebrated Easter on the fourteenth day of the month, in the afternoon, on the plain of Jericho. The day after Passover they ate the produce of the land, unleavened bread and grains parched on that same day. The manna stopped falling the next day, when they ate the produce of the land. The Israelites no longer had manna. That year they ate the fruits of the land of Canaan.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Second Reading (2Cor 5,17-21)
Reading from the Second Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians.
Brothers: If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. The old world has disappeared. Everything is new now. And everything comes from God, who, through Christ, reconciled us to himself and entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation. Indeed, in Christ, God reconciled the world to himself, not imputing their sins to men and placing within us the word of reconciliation. We are, therefore, ambassadors of Christ, and it is God himself who exhorts through us. In the name of Christ, we beseech you: let yourselves be reconciled with God. God made him who committed no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (Luke 15,1-3.11-32)
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, publicans and sinners approached Jesus to listen to him. The Pharisees, however, and the teachers of the Law criticized Jesus. “This man welcomes sinners and dines with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “A man had two sons. The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the inheritance.’ From the place, who sent him to his field to take care of the pigs. The boy wanted to starve the food that the foods ate, but not even it. Then he fell into himself and said: ‘How many employees of my father have bread, and me here, I will go back to my father and say: Father, u and returned to When he was still far away, his father saw him and felt compassion. He ran to meet him, hugged him, and covered him with kisses. The son then said to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against God and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But the father said to the servants: ‘Quickly bring the best tunic to dress my son. And put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring a fatted calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found’. And the party started. The eldest son was in the field. When he returned, close to home, he heard music and the sound of dancing. Then he called one of the servants and asked what was happening. The servant replied: ‘It is your brother who has returned. Your father killed the fatted calf because he recovered it healthy.’ But he was angry and didn’t want to go in. His father, leaving, insisted on him. He, however, replied to his father: ‘I have worked for you for so many years, I have never disobeyed any of your orders. And you never gave me a goat to celebrate with my friends. When this son of yours arrived, who squandered your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ Then his father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost, and he is found'”.
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
My dear brothers and sisters, what a joy to be here with you, gathered for another moment of reflection, prayer and, above all, an encounter with the Word of God. Today, I want to start with a simple but profound question: who among us hasn’t made a mistake, a failure, a choice that led us to walk away from something or someone we loved? And, most importantly, who among us hasn’t felt the weight of longing and the pain of regret when we realize we’ve moved away? These experiences of loss, of error, of loneliness, of detachment… are human experiences, and that is exactly what today’s readings are about. They invite us to reflect on the unconditional love of God, who never gives up on us, even when we make mistakes, and on the process of reconciliation and healing that He offers us.
The first reading, from the book of Joshua, places us at a crucial moment in the history of the people of Israel. After crossing the Jordan, they finally reached the promised land. But before entering the land of Canaan, there was something important to be done: circumcision, a symbol of the covenant between God and the people. What does this practice teach us? It means that God’s people not only need a new beginning, but also a new heart. Joshua, as leader, announces the end of Egypt’s humiliation and the entry into the Promised Land, where God’s promise is fulfilled.
In Joshua 5:9a.10-12, we read: “Today I have removed from you the dishonor of Egypt. And the people settled in Gilgal, on the east bank of Jericho. There they celebrated Easter on the 14th of the month, in the afternoon, on the plains of Jericho.” The people of Israel, after so many difficulties and trials, find God’s promise coming true before their eyes. They celebrate Easter, the passage, the new beginning. And just like the people of Israel, we are also called to celebrate our own “Easter”, our passage to a new life, in Christ. Joshua’s circumcision, although an external practice, symbolizes inner transformation, the cut with the past, renewal and purification. God offers us the same: the opportunity to cut out what is old, what prevents us from living fully.
And so, after this moment of reconciliation and renewal, we see in the second reading, from the Second Letter to the Corinthians, an announcement of hope: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold, new things have become.” These words of Saint Paul are an invitation to all of us. What does the apostle want to tell us? He reminds us that through Christ we have the chance to start over. No matter what we did in the past, no matter the wrong choices or mistakes we made, God’s grace is capable of transforming us. If in Joshua we see the renewal of God’s people, in São Paulo we see this same renewal on a personal level. In Christ, all things become new! He does not look at us for what we were, but for what we can be, in His grace and mercy. He offers us a new identity, a new life, and a new chance to live in communion with Him and with others.
Now, Luke’s Gospel presents us with the famous parable of the Prodigal Son, one of the most moving and transformative passages in all of Scripture. In Luke 15:1-3.11-32, we hear about a young man who decides to ask for his share of the inheritance and leave for a distant land, where he lives in a dissolute way, wasting everything he had. When hunger and loneliness strike him, he remembers his home and resolves to return to his father, saying: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” And what is the father’s reaction? He runs to meet his son, hugs him and welcomes him back with celebration and joy. The father does not reject him, does not accuse him, does not shame him; on the contrary, he celebrates the return of his lost son.
This parable is a portrait of God’s unconditional love for each of us. The prodigal son did not deserve forgiveness, but the father welcomes him with open arms. In the same way, God, in His infinite mercy, does not reject us when we fall, when we make mistakes, when we move away from Him. He always waits for us with patience and love, ready to welcome us back, no matter what we have done. God never gives up on us. He always gives us a new chance, a new opportunity to start over.
But the parable is not limited to this story of reconciliation. She also talks about her older brother, who refuses to join the party and complains that he never received a celebration for being faithful. The older brother represents those who, at times, feel superior, those who cannot understand God’s immense love and mercy for those who have made mistakes. And here comes an important lesson: God calls us not only to be forgiven, but to be forgiving. If we have been reconciled with God, we must also be instruments of this reconciliation in the world, welcoming others with the same love and compassion with which we were welcomed.
And, just like the prodigal son, we can all return to the Father. No matter how far we have strayed, how much we have made mistakes, God is always ready to embrace us, purify us and give us a new chance. The story of the prodigal son is an invitation to reconciliation – with God and with others.
Now, my dear brothers and sisters, what message do these readings have for us today? Firstly, they remind us of the opportunity to start over. Maybe you feel like the people of Israel, crossing a desert of difficulties, or maybe, like the prodigal son, you have turned away from God, made decisions that took you away from His path. But today, just as God spoke to the people of Israel, He says to you, “Today I have removed dishonor from you.” Easter, renewal, is for all of us. God gives us a new chance, a new beginning.
Secondly, Saint Paul’s message teaches us that, in Christ, we are new creatures. The old man is gone; the new one has arrived! In Christ, we can leave behind everything that separates us from God and live according to His grace, with His mercy.
And, finally, the parable of the prodigal son invites us to trust in God’s immense mercy. He welcomes us with joy and offers us the grace of reconciliation. He will always be waiting for us, ready to embrace us, forgive us and give us a new opportunity. And, like the older brother, we are called to welcome and forgive those who, like the prodigal son, return to the Father.
My brothers and sisters, today is a day of grace. It is a day when we can reflect on the many opportunities that God gives us to start over, to be renewed in His mercy. May we live this new beginning with courage, with faith and with the certainty that God never gives up on us. May we also be instruments of reconciliation in the world, welcoming others with the same love that God offers us.
May the Lord bless us and always guide us on our journey of faith. Amen.
