All of us, as sinners, have turned our back on God’s love in one way or another. However, like the prodigal son, we can humble ourselves and run to our compassionate Father who awaits our return home with great anticipation.
In the book, “Prodigal Daughters,” author Donna Steichen recounts the personal testimonies of seventeen women who left the Church to seek autonomy in the feminist movement, the sexual revolution, New Age spiritualism, or through chemical abuse and academic skepticism. Each found her way home to the Catholic Church after an incredible journey from apostasy to repentance.
Steichen’s book opens with a passage that depicts Blessed Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei, urging his followers to welcome the repentant prodigal son. He told the congregation not to judge the man because “he may yet become an Augustine, while you remain mere mediocrities."
What a fundamental reminder that repentant sinners are as likely as anyone to become the greatest saints! In Luke’s Gospel, the father exclaims, “we must celebrate and rejoice, because [my child] was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found” (32). Just as this father celebrates the return of his son, our Heavenly Father rejoices with every soul that returns to Him.
As women committed to building up the kingdom of God, what are we doing to bring others back to the fold? Do we allow self-righteousness and judgment to paralyze our ability to reach out to the lost daughter?
We battle many distractions that lead us away from the Church and the truth. Radical feminism, “reproductive rights” propaganda, the pursuit of vanity for its’ own sake, and rampant gossip circles are just some of the distractions diverting women today. They undermine the inherent dignity owed to women and as a consequence distort the view we have of ourselves, others and our world around us.
We need to firstly recognize these enemies of the truth. Then, with compassion and love, we must reach out to our lost sisters.
