This Sunday we have one of the most famous stories from God’s lost and found department: the Prodigal Son. It is told in the context of the religious leaders complaining about the company Jesus keeps. Jesus reminds them and us that he has come to seek out and save the lost. Both brothers in the parable estrange themselves from their Father by acting out of their false selves. The younger son wastes his inheritance on passing pleasures with prostitutes, but then “comes to his senses” and through his father’s extravagant mercy embraces his true self not as a hired hand but as a beloved son. The older brother is also lost once he finds out the party is for his spoiled brat of a brother. He refuses to go in because he resents the generosity his father extends to his younger brother. He is hurt because he has been the loyal son, doing his duty, and his father hasn’t thrown a party for him. The father meets the older son on the porch and reminds him of his truth: “My son, you are here with me always and everything I have is yours.” The story reminds us that nothing we do while living our false self can erase our birthright as a beloved child of God. So, as God’s beloved daughters and sons, Paul reminds us we are “ambassadors for Christ” who have been entrusted with “the message of reconciliation.” May we live our birthright and extend God’s extravagant mercy to those who are most in need. Remember, reconciliation is not about being right. It’s about being in relationship.

The dispatches from war-torn Ukraine are devastating. Stories of children being killed and buried in mass graves and the bombing of innocent people seeking shelter in a theater reveal the presence of evil in our world. In times like these, people ask, “Where is God? Why isn’t God answering our prayers for the people of Ukraine?” Our readings this Sunday reflect similar atrocities, injustices, and oppression. They remind us, though, that God knows what we are suffering and responds. Not with a wave of a divine hand or a magic wand, but with a person. In the first reading, it is Moses. In the gospel, it is Jesus who shares a parable about a patient gardener who reveals a God always desiring to give us another chance. God is the patient gardener who seeks to cultivate the holy ground of our being so that one day in the not-too-distant future we will harvest the fruits of justice and peace.

As the war in Ukraine rages on and the death toll rises, the Russian invasion reveals how evil can disfigure the face of the earth. This Sunday’s gospel tells the story of the transfiguration of Jesus, showing his disciples the glory that awaits them even as Jesus will endure the suffering and death of the cross. The readings this Sunday encourage us to be “agents of transfiguration” as we seek to work with God so that injustice is transfigured into justice and peace. Through the grace of God, our challenge is to transfigure the face of the earth that is so often disfigured by evil, hatred, war, and oppression.

The news of the past few weeks have been filled with stories of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The season of Lent begins under these ominous clouds of war and in our gospel for the First Sunday of Lent, Jesus is involved in his own battle in the wilderness as he confronts the forces of evil. His only weapon is the Word of God. As Saint Paul says in the second reading, “The word is near you, on your lips and in your hearts.” May we allow God’s Word to come closer to us than it’s ever been before during this Lenten season. Spend time each day with the Scripture readings for the day. Allow them to penetrate deep into our souls and shape our lives. As Jesus entered the wilderness to battle the forces of evil, Lent invites us to enter deeply the paschal mystery by immersing ourselves in the Word of God. And as we do, we hold the people of Ukraine close to our hearts in prayer and solidarity.

This week we visit the little town of Bethlehem we call our hearts as Mary and Elizabeth, two models of missionary discipleship, bearers of the dreams God placed within their souls, invite us to create sacred space within our lives to welcome the Prince of Peace.

The readings for the Third Sunday of Advent speak of joy, of hope, of rejoicing and gladness. The prophet Zephaniah says God “will renew you in his love, God will sing joyfully because of you!” Imagine that! God will sing with joy when God remembers! It is this spirit of joy that Paul picks up in the second reading when says, “Rejoice in the Lord always!” So, filled with this spirit of Advent anticipation and expectation, of joy and hope, like the people in the gospel we ask, “What should we do?” And the answer from John the Baptist is: try a little kindness! The best way we can prepare for Christmas is to be kind. If we try a little kindness, practice those little random acts of compassion, then Paul’s fervent prayer might be realized: “Your kindness should be known to all.”