Show Notes
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So, he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. (Luke 15:13-16)
In Jesus’ time and tradition, requesting for inheritance when one’s father was alive was unheard of. And in this younger son’s case, he was not only requesting it, but was demanding for his share. That was insane! And he went a step further to assume that he had the right to dispose of it as he wished. He was not supposed to do this when his father was still alive, because his father still had the right to live off his distributed assets as long as he lived. This shows how disrespectful and how ungrateful he was to his father, and how untamed his heart was, taking everyone and everything for granted. All those things that were supposed to be gifts became entitlements in the younger son's eyes.
When we perceive those gifts as entitlements, we automatically see ourselves as owners instead of stewards. That makes a huge difference in how we view and use those gifts freely given to us.
In the younger son’s case, he squandered his entire inheritance on a life of dissipation. His inheritance was not small at all. He was unbelievably lavish, and because he was away from his father, he was subjected to more temptations from the Devil. Pleasures were the Devil’s traps for him and he wasted every penny he had received.
In reality, we also see the opposite extreme. We are oftentimes too fearful of losing our possessions. So we invest our whole lives in protecting them, to the point that we become slaves to our properties. People with this “owner” mindset tries their best to guard their possessions, and use them mainly for their own needs and interests. Fearing that they do not have enough for themselves, sharing will be limited, and only after their current needs are fulfilled and all their future needs are covered.
On the contrary, God wants us to be good stewards of the gifts freely given to us. He wants us to share as much as we can, so that His love can be channeled through us to those in need. Our God cannot be outdone in generosity. The more we share and give, the more He will bless us with His providence!
God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)
If we remain in the Father’s House, we will have an abundance for ourselves and others; if we are on our own in our distant country, we are left wanting.
REFLECTION
Do you see yourself as the owner or a steward of all that you have and possess, both materially and spiritually?
Are you living in fear of not having enough for your future? Would you like to be set free from all those worries?
Do you find yourself enslaved to material possessions? Do you find yourself still in your distant country, away from the Father’s abundant graces?
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father, sometimes I feel that I am insecure and feel wanting. I believe that is because I am still in my distant country, far away from You, the source of all goodness and graces. I long to be free from all the bondages of material attachments. I long for the freedom to find and become my true self, and to return to You. But I lack the courage and I am fearful. Please help me to overcome this internal struggle so that I can boldly respond to Your call to come back to You. I know I can never find home in my distant country and my heart is restless until I rest in You. Father, bring me home!
I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
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What is Farmer of Hearts - Finding Hope in God’s Kingdom?
As we navigate through the maze of life in this fast changing world, it’s easy to lose sight of the important things that keep us going and help us stay on track. In a world plagued by an epidemic of depression and hopelessness like never before, it’s clear that what the world offers is leading us in the wrong direction.
On the other hand, studies consistently show that individuals with higher levels of hope report lower levels of depression and anxiety. High hope is also linked to better stress management and enhanced resilience. The benefits of having hope are endless.
- How can we become more positive?
- Is there a way to cultivate hope in our lives?
- What role does our Christian faith play in nurturing hope?
- What insights can our faith offer that the world cannot?
In this Year of the Jubilee, we are reminded once again of our identity as pilgrims on earth. We have the choice to either embrace hope or fall into despair. The theme of this year’s “Farmer of Hearts” Lenten online retreat is “Finding Hope in God’s Kingdom.” You might ask, “Why do we need to find hope if we are already in God’s Kingdom? Isn’t it true that when this world passes, faith and hope will no longer be needed?” It’s important not to confuse “God’s Kingdom” with “Heaven.” Here, we refer to God’s Kingdom as His sovereignty on earth.
This Lenten retreat offers reflections and practical insights on how we can become “Pilgrims of Hope” in light of the “Kingdom of God” as taught by Jesus. By using the framework of God’s Kingdom, we gain a fresh perspective to see the world, those around us, and ourselves through God’s eyes.
Rather than remaining purely conceptual, Jesus provides a practical framework through which we can reshape our worldview—a new perspective that inspires hope. The hope Jesus offers is unshakable, something the world can never provide. It’s a model we can adopt here and now, not just an abstract theory or a utopia we can only reach when we enter Heaven. Life will certainly be full of challenges, but it’s through these challenges that we mature in our faith and in our relationship with God. Having hope is crucial on the road toward holiness and the Father’s house. It is certainly worth spending these 40 days of the Lenten Season reflecting on this vital theme.
Pilgrimage is a journey, a process with a clear destination, and we need companions along the way. We invite you to join us on this exciting journey of hope as a community of fellow pilgrims. See you at the starting point!
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