Experiments in Catholicism
By Emily E Long
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells the parable of the prodigal son, about a father and his two sons. One day, one of the sons decides that he is ready for his inheritance. His father gives it to him, and he sets out into the world. After squandering all of his inheritance, he has no choice but to return to his father’s house, ashamed. Rather than turning his back on his son, the father welcomes him with open arms.
I’ve been on a journey to listen to the perspective of the prodigals in my life and understand how they came back. This week, I bring you the stories of four young “reverts,” or individuals who have returned to the faith. Jake, Karlie, Danielle, and Allison were all raised in the church, but fell away before coming to the same realization as the prodigal son: They needed to return home.
Growing up, all four said they didn’t feel a strong sense of belonging in the church. For Jake, Mass was just another obligation — one that his family didn’t really prioritize. Danielle went to catechism classes, but she was focused on “graduating” after Confirmation and not coming back. Although Karlie’s parents were involved in her church community, she didn’t feel the same sense of belonging. Allison grew up in a town where attending Mass was expected, but she didn’t feel like her presence really mattered to the community, let alone the Lord.
Not only was their relationship with the Church limited, so was their relationship with Jesus. Jake remained guarded when praying, fearing what would happen if he were truly honest with the Savior. Karlie thought she had a mature relationship with Jesus, but looking back on it, she didn’t fully grasp what He had done for her. Allison knew that Jesus was important, but only when you really needed something. Danielle considered herself an atheist, but now chalks it up to having a complete lack of relationship with God and His Son.
Just like the prodigal, they all hit a point where they realized “this isn’t working — and it isn’t going to work.” For Danielle, it started with listening to the feeling inside that she just couldn’t shake — she needed to go to church. When Allison’s marriage started to fall apart, she threw her hands up, knowing only God could fix her family. When Jake realized that chasing career accomplishments didn’t come with true happiness, he knew he would need something deeper. When Karlie saw herself going down a bad path, she knew she needed something better.
In the parable, the father’s arms were wide open, and he threw a banquet to celebrate his son’s return home. That probably was just the beginning of the son’s story. He now had to learn how to accept his father’s love for him.
As the four returned to the faith, it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Karlie struggled to accept the graces that came from her reversion, wondering, “Do I even deserve this?” Jake struggled with the rules that came with actively practicing Catholicism and felt the pressure to be perfect. After many honest conversations with his friends, he realized that they accepted their identity as sinners and let Jesus fill their lives with faith. Allison realized that even though she had grown up in the Church, she didn’t really know what was happening at Mass. She had never spent time reading the Bible either, so she started to spend time reading scripture and allow the Father to reveal His heart to her. She soon found herself captivated by the beauty and richness of the Church.
Now all four are practicing their faith again, but they will tell you there was a time not too long ago when they weren’t. Just like the father welcomed the prodigal son, we need to embrace those who come back to the church and listen to their experiences to ensure our arms are open. All four people remembered how having a loving community ready to embrace them helped them continue growing their faith as they returned.
We must meet those who return to the Church like the father in the parable of the prodigal son: with patience and love. Jake put it beautifully when he told me, “Sometimes you are the only exposure to the Gospel someone will ever get — be the answer to someone’s prayer.”
Experiment of the Week: Pray for the people in your life who you would like to return to the faith. Ask the Father for an open heart and the patience to receive them with open arms.
