Fourth Sunday of Lent (Year C)

First Reading - Joshua 5.9-12

A reading from the book of Joshua. After crossing the river Jordan, to enter the promised land, the people camped at Gilgal, in the plains of Jericho. And there, they kept the Passover, on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month. The next day, there was no miraculous food on the ground; because now, they were able to eat the ordinary produce of the promised land. That first day, they ate the produce of the promised land as flat-breads, and roasted grain. And the Lord said to Joshua: ‘Today, I have taken away the disgrace you suffered in Egypt.’ This is the word of the Lord.

Second Reading - 2 Corinthians 5.17-20

A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians. By God’s grace, we have been reconciled to God, in Christ. And now, God has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation. God has made us ambassadors for Christ, to proclaim this message to the world: ‘God no longer counts your trespasses against you! Be reconciled to God!’ Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old has passed away, and everything is new. This is the word of the Lord.

Gospel - Luke 15.1-3, 11-32

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke. Amongst those who came to hear Jesus were collectors of the Roman taxes, and other notorious sinners. Jesus welcomed them, and would even sit and eat with them. For this, the Pharisees and the scribes complained against Jesus. So Jesus told them this parable: ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger son said to his father, “Give me my share of the property.” So the father divided his property between his two sons. A few days later, the younger son gathered his belongings, and travelled to a distant country, and there began to squander all his wealth.

When he had spent all that he had, a severe famine spread throughout that country. So he went and hired himself out to one of the farmers in that country, who sent him to feed the pigs. And he was so hungry that he would gladly have eaten the waste that the pigs were eating. Eventually, he said to himself, “Here I am, dying of hunger, while my father’s hired workers have enough to eat, and more to spare. I will go back to my father, and say, ‘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 workers.’” So he set off, and went to his father. While he was still far off, his father saw him, and was filled with compassion. His father ran, and put his arms around him, and kissed him. The son said, “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, “Go quickly, and bring, for my son, the finest clothes, a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet! Take the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead, and is alive again; he was lost - and now he is found.” And the celebration began. All this time, the elder son was working in the field. When the elder son approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the servants, and asked what was happening. The servant explained, “Your brother has returned, alive, and your father has killed the fatted calf, to celebrate.” On hearing this, the elder son became angry, and refused to go in. His father came out and pleaded with him, but he said, “For all these years, I have worked for you like a slave, and I have never disobeyed your command. And you have never given me even a young goat to celebrate with my friends. But this son of yours has come back, having squandered your wealth with the shameless, and you have killed the fatted calf for him!” His father said, “Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. And we must celebrate, because this brother of yours was lost, and now he is found; he was dead, and now he is alive again.”’ This is the Gospel of the Lord.