Home Coming
Lent – Season of Change
Home is the place where when you go there they have to take you in. She remembered this as she sat in the back of the church during the Reconciliation Service. It had been so many years since she had last been to church, yet it was still so familiar. All those memories from her youth flooded her. Good memories, some not so good. She remembered the purples of Lent. The hymns were different but the prayers remained so familiar. The words of forgiveness were ones she longed to hear. The familiar words of the prodigal son story resonated in her heart.
Could she truly come home? Would she really be welcomed with open arms? And what of the problems that had driven her away so many years ago? She had changed, had the church changed? Somehow it no longer seemed that important. Disagreements she had had in the past, no longer seemed so important. Why had she allowed them to drive her away? What was important was that she was home. She could forgive and live with the contradictions that are part of any family.
Lent is a time for homecoming. Would she be welcomed? Was there a place for her in this church?
While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. Luke 15:20
This post is part of a series of reflections on the Church year. click here to follow blog
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