Undoubtedly, the Lenten theme of today’s readings is mercy. Much ink has been spilled over the Parable of the Prodigal Son. We are told how outrageous the son’s action are, to what a degree of degradation he falls, and the outlandish response of his father in breaking all societal norms in running to meet this son, who has been so disrespectful to him and brought shame upon the whole family. Yet, the genius of Jesus’ parable is he gets us to see God from a different perspective, a perspective we can understand, for, despite all the cultural norms the father breaks, we do understand—love does such things. I am reminded of the great joy parents display when an addict son or daughter makes the slightest move to seek help for their addiction. In their grief and anguish over their child’s condition, they know they cannot change their child, but they will run when they see even a flicker of a desire to change.
Freedom and mercy are intimately united. In giving him his inheritance, the father gives the younger son his freedom. We do not know what preceded the son’s request. It probably did not come out of the blue. Surely this was the culmination of many a stormy scene. Yet the father gives him that for which he asks. He is by no means a helicopter parent. In this case, he realizes it will be best for the son to see the result of his choices. In giving us freedom, God knows there will be times when we will misuse it either by deliberate sins or by mistakes or errors in judgment on our part, but He is willing to welcome us back again and again as we grow in the freedom of true love. He also invites us, as the father does the elder son, to share in his merciful attitude towards our brothers and sisters—respecting their freedom, trusting them as adults, forgiving them when they sin against us, and not envying the joy of the community when a straying member returns.
In this 800th anniversary of St. Dominic’s death, it is interesting to imagine him in this parable. It seems most easy to identify him with the elder son. From his youth he walked in friendship with God, never seeming to have gone through a rebellious stage, but how different is his response from the elder brother in the parable. Rather than berating the father for his generosity, he is there pleading for his brother, rejoicing in the reconciliation. Like the younger son, he goes “off into a distant country”, but instead of squandering his inheritance, he scatters it. Returning to the Father he drags a huge net behind him “filled with all sorts of fish”, that is the Dominican Family. In the end, Dominic most closely resembles the father by his compassion, trust, and respect for freedom. While being a great legislator, Dominic was never a legalist. He realized law is not an end unto itself but is to foster our right relationship with God and others.