The Mercy Of God

The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11‑32) shows a father who, after the wayward son has squandered his inheritance, runs to meet him, embraces him, and throws a great feast. That image powerfully illustrates the Father’s generous mercy: love is offered exactly where we are - full of shortcomings and failings - yet it is given in its entirety.

In the person of Jesus we encounter the fullness of God’s promise: the Son, the Saviour, the Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit. Christ took our place, paid the debt we could not settle, and opened the way for us to receive grace and the abundant life intended for us (cf. John 3:16). This is at the heart of Catholic teaching on conversion and repentance: no matter how far we have strayed, we are always invited to return.

In the time of Jesus, religious leaders had turned the law (613 commandments constituted the Mosaic Law) into a burdensome set of rules that obscured true freedom. Today, we too can be tempted by “golden‑calf” mentalities such as materialism, competition and self‑interest that pull us away from the Gospel’s call to love. As an example, our relationship with money often makes it an idol. We calmly accept its dominion over ourselves and our societies, reducing people to mere consumers - a modern guise of the ancient golden calf.  The remedy is simple: focus on God’s love for others and follow the way shown to us, living in faith rooted in Christ rather than in a guilt‑laden legalism.

Just as a game needs rules to keep it from chaos, human life is guided by divine commandments, fulfilled in Christ and illuminated by the Holy Spirit. Remembering this helps us see that our own frailty is not a barrier but an invitation to rely on grace and the Spirit’s power to carry out our vocation as educators.

The Church does not have a mission; the Mission has a Church. Our work with students and families is demanding, and at times we may feel inadequate. Let us lean on the Father’s generous love, confident that God’s way is always best. As we say “yes” to the call, following Mary’s simple “yes”, we become witnesses to the mercy that transforms lives.

May the peace of Jesus be with you always.