Celebrating Laetare Sunday: Of Popes and Prodigals
As the Church commemorates Laetare Sunday – the Fourth Sunday in Lent – let us delve into the profound message behind the day’s liturgical readings with a reflection on the theme, “Of Popes and Prodigals,” by Jenny Kraska.
By Jenny Kraska
In this week’s Gospel, Jesus shares one of the most powerful parables of mercy—the story of the Prodigal Son. This parable resonates with all of us as we have all experienced being lost in one way or another. Some of us, like the younger son, have strayed far from God, making choices that led us into spiritual or moral poverty. Others, like the older brother, have remained faithful outwardly but struggle with resentment when mercy is extended to those we feel don’t deserve it. However, at the core of the story lies the father, whose love is extravagant, unearned, and always seeking reconciliation.
On the 20th anniversary of the passing of St. John Paul II, we remember a man who not only preached God’s mercy but lived it. His deep devotion to Divine Mercy, his calls for forgiveness and reconciliation, and his personal embodiment of Christ’s love make him a true model of the father’s embrace in Luke’s Gospel.
St. John Paul II bore the scars of a broken world, having lived through the horrors of Nazi occupation and communist oppression in his native Poland. As pope, he tirelessly advocated for peace and reconciliation in regions plagued by conflict and division. He didn’t just talk about mercy—he exemplified it. A striking example was his visit to Mehmet Ali Ağca, the man who attempted to assassinate him in 1981. The world witnessed this radical act of mercy—a reflection of the father running to embrace the prodigal son.
John Paul II understood the struggles of the older brother in the parable as well. He acknowledged that forgiveness is not always easy. In his encyclical Dives in misericordia, he emphasized that “mercy is an indispensable dimension of love; it is as it were love’s second name”—not a replacement for justice, but its fulfillment. Mercy does not turn a blind eye to sin but beckons the sinner home. It doesn’t erase wounds but heals them through love.
Like the father in the parable, John Paul II constantly invited people to return to God. His famous words, “Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ,” were more than just a catchphrase—they were an invitation to encounter the radical love of the Father who never ceases to wait for us.
As we reflect on the anniversary of his passing, we are reminded that John Paul II was not just a pope of mercy but also a father to a prodigal world—welcoming, forgiving, and rejoicing whenever one of God’s children returned home. May his example inspire us to trust in God’s mercy, to be ambassadors of reconciliation in a fractured world, and to never hesitate in coming back to the Father, who always rushes to meet us.
St. John Paul II, pray for us!
