INTRODUCTION
The Forth Sunday of Lent is traditionally known as “Laetare Sunday” it is so called from the first word of the antiphon at the introit (Entrance Antiphon), “Laetare” (Rejoice) taken from the Latin translation of Isaiah 66:10-11, Set a tone of joyful anticipation of the Easter Mystery as does the permitted use of rose-colored vestment.

THEME OF THE SUNDAY: Saved by the Love of the Father.
The first reading prepared us for the message contained in the gospel. The people of Israel did not reach freedom by themselves. They were not saved by their own strength, but by God. The younger son of the parable did not find his way home by himself; he was led back by the freely-given, unlimited love of his father. Do we identify with either of these sons? Don’t we find in us some- thing of the younger one, but something too of the elder? When do we think differently from the Father? Isn’t there anything we can change? The second reading is an invitation to be reconciled to God and to other members of the community, and is thus in harmony with the theme of the Sunday.

FIRST READING     
“The people of God entered the Promised Land and there kept the Passover.”
A reading from the Book of Joshua (Joshua 5:9a, 10-12)
In those days: The Lord said to Joshua, “This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” While the sons of Israel were encamped in Gilgal they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at evening in the plains of Jericho. And on the next day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. And the manna ceased on the next day, when they ate of the produce of the land; and the sons of Israel had manna no more, but ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
The word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 34:2-3.4-5.6-7 (R. 9a)
R/. Taste and see that the Lord is good!
I will bless the Lord at all times,
praise of him is always in my mouth.
In the Lord my soul shall make its boast;
the humble shall hear and be glad. R/.
Glorify the Lord with me;
together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
from all my terrors he set me free. R/.

R/. Taste and see that the Lord is good!
Look towards him and be radiant;
let your faces not be abashed.
This lowly one called; the Lord heard,
and rescued him from all his distress. R/.

SECOND READING
God reconciled us to himself through Christ.
A reading from the second Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
Brethren: If any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The word of the Lord.

GOSPEL        
“This your brother was dead, and is alive.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32)
At that time: The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable: “There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that falls to me. ’ And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ “And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. ’ And they began to make merry. “Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has‘ devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf! ’ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.”’
The Gospel of the Lord.

Homily Summary
The 4th Sunday of Lent is called “Laetare Sunday,” symbolizing joyful anticipation for the Easter Mystery. The theme is centered on being saved by the love of the Father, as reflected in the readings.

In the first reading from Joshua, the people of Israel enter the Promised Land and celebrate Passover, marking their freedom, which was not achieved by their own strength but through God’s intervention. This echoes the message of salvation through divine love and guidance.

The second reading from 2 Corinthians highlights reconciliation through Christ. It emphasizes that through Christ, God reconciled the world to Himself, urging us to embrace this reconciliation and become ambassadors of God’s message of forgiveness and renewal.

In the Gospel (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32), Jesus tells the parable of the Prodigal Son. The younger son, after squandering his inheritance, returns to his father, who warmly forgives him and celebrates his return. The elder son, feeling neglected, struggles with jealousy. The father reminds him that everything he has is his, and the celebration is for the lost brother’s return. The parable illustrates God’s boundless mercy and invites us to reflect on our own attitudes toward forgiveness and reconciliation.

The overall message is one of God’s unconditional love, reconciliation, and the joy of returning to the Father, as well as the need to embrace this divine mercy in our own lives.