God has reconciled us to himself through Christ and
has given us the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Cor. 5:18)

Paul speaks here (57 C.E.) of the mission of all Christians to serve as
ambassadors of Christ in bringing others to accept God's salvation through Christ.

Since 1650, we in the family of Joseph take this passage to heart because
"our mission of unity rests on reconciliation" (Constitutions #19). Reconciliation
offers a two-pronged (proactive and reactive) approach for realizing Christ's pryaer:
"That they may be one in us" (John 17:21).

Today's Gospel parable reflects so beautifully this two-fold way. First, we see
the Father's active initiative in responding to his sons. He watches for his younger
son and runs out to welcome him back from his wayward journey. After coming
to his senses about his wrong and hurtful choices, the younger son humbly begs
for his father's forgiveness and to be taken back into the household. And, at the
older son's resistance to his brother's favorable tretment, the father again came
out to him, pleading for him to join the family.

In neither case, did the father blame or scold but voiced his deep-seated desire
for harmony among them. What greater model of a unifying heart is there than
this father who willingly embodied the two faces of reconciling love.

Let us pray for wisdom to discern the aspect of reconciliation needed in the
broken areas of our lives and our world and for courage to be apt instruments
in bringing about unity.

--Fran DeLisle SSJ

 print