Pope Francis, in his latest catechesis on April 16, offered a moving meditation on the parable of the Prodigal Son—a reflection not only on divine mercy but a call to every believer to rediscover the heart of the Gospel. At the core of his message was this: God is not a master demanding servitude, but a merciful Father who seeks out the lost.
This image—both timeless and urgent—has special meaning in a world where more and more young people are drifting away from organized religion. But as the Pope reminded us, the Gospel is not a rulebook or a burden. It is a message of hope. It tells us that no matter how far we stray, God always comes looking for us.
A Father Who Runs Toward Us
Drawing from Rembrandt’s painting Return of the Prodigal Son, Pope Francis described the mercy of God not as abstract theology but as an embrace: a father welcoming his child with tenderness. The painting shows the son with a shaved head—both as a sign of penance and new birth. He is being born again, the Pope said. In this way, the story becomes more than a parable. It becomes an invitation.
So, where do we find ourselves in this story? Are we the younger child who has wandered? Or are we the older one—close in body but far in heart? Francis warns that even those who stay physically within the Church may have hearts that are bitter, full of duty without love. “When you adapt unwillingly,” he says, “anger begins to grow.”
The Church Is Not a House of Servants
Many who have left the Church—especially the younger generations—say they feel judged or unwelcome. But Pope Francis is flipping that script: the Church is not a house for perfect people, but a home for the broken, the tired, and the lost. It is not a courtroom. It is a family reunion waiting to happen.
The challenge, then, is for Catholics not only to return themselves, but to go out and bring others back. This starts not with argument or pressure—but with love. As the Pope says, only someone who truly loves us can free us from the false idea that we must earn God’s love.
The heart of our Catholic faith is not fear—it’s the radical love of a Father who runs out to meet us. As Pope Francis closed his catechesis, he invited all of us to reflect: Where am I in this story? Am I lost? Am I angry? Am I willing to return?
Let us pray for the grace, as the Holy Father said, “that we too can find our way back home.”
