We have all heard the story of the Prodigal Son many times. We have all lived the story many times. We have often been thoughtless like the boy, considered what was best for number one, and ended up hurting those who love us the most.

    The deeper sin of the prodigal was that he took the money and ran. He was not concerned about his father's future. Ancient social security, if you will, demanded that he work his father's land, giving the father a portion of the results so his father would always have food on the table. The prodigal also sold his families birthright, their portion of the Promised Land given to the Chosen People.

    Many times we have been the Forgiving Father. We have all been hurt by others without cause and then called on to forgive. Perhaps, we haven't needed any motivation to forgive other than love. We've looked everyday for the one who has offended us. Like the forgiving Father, we started the celebrations before the offender could complete his or her apology.

    Many times we have been like the Elder Son. One whom we love has been hurt. Although the hurt one has forgiven, we hold the grudge and as such deny ourselves admittance in the banquet of the Father's love.

    I'll be very honest with you, I don't know if I am a good enough person to have responded with the Love of Christ as the late and holy Cardinal Joseph Bernadin responded. Back in 1993, a Philadelphian named Steven Cook claimed in a CNN interview that he had been intimately assaulted by Cardinal Bernardin. Just by co-incidence, of course, the news item, broadcast in detail four times an hour for a full day, happened to come when CNN was about to air a show on priests and abuse cases. Cook filed a $10,000,000 lawsuit against the cardinal. Cardinal Bernardin denied everything. Then in February of 1994, Cook recanted the charges, saying that his recollections were not reliable and that he could not in good conscience pursue the charges.

    For Cardinal Bernardin, the matter was not ended. He made it a point to contact Steven and asked to meet him. The meeting took place on December 30, 1994 in Philadelphia. This is what Cardinal Bernardin wrote about this meeting:

"I began by telling Steven that the only reason for requesting the meeting was to bring closure to the traumatic event of last winter by personally letting him know that I harbored no ill feelings toward him and to pray with him for his physical and spiritual well being. He replied that he wanted to meet with me to apologize for the embarrassment and hurt he had caused. In other words, we both sought reconciliation.

"Steven's apology was simple, direct, and deeply moving. I told him that I prayed for him every day and would continue to pray for his health and peace of mind. It is evident that he is in precarious health. It is a manifestation of God's love, forgiveness and healing that I will never forget."

    After their meeting, Cardinal Bernardin and Steven Cook celebrated the Eucharist for the Feast of the Holy Family. Originally Steven Cook didn't want to celebrate the Eucharist, but after he was forgiven he longed for the Eucharist. Cardinal Bernardin wrote about that Mass: "In my few remarks after the gospel, I told him that in every family there are times where there is hurt, anger, and alienation.. But we cannot run away from our family. We have only one family and we must make every effort to be reconciled. Before Steven left he told me that a big burden had been lifted from him. He felt healed and was at peace. He also asked me to tell the story of his reconciliation with the Church and with me."

    Steven is the prodigal. Cardinal Bernardin is the Forgiving Father. And the rest of, priests and church leaders particular who were upset at the time that the leading bishop in our country had been wrongfully attacked, the rest of us were called not to be elder sons. We were called to join the Cardinal and the Lord in love and forgiveness.

    God calls us to the work of reconciliation: he calls us to actively seek the restoration of our relationships with those whom we have hurt and with those who have hurt us. We are called to be the forgiving Father in the parable of the Prodigal Son. We are called to run out and accept the one who hurt us back into our lives. We are called to say you are forgiven before an apology is completed. We are called to be the Son needing forgiveness. We are called seek out those who we have hurt and ask for their pardon. We are called to be reconciled to Christ in his community. We are called to rejoice in the conversion of sinners. We are called to reject the inclination we have to be like the Elder brother, cold and unforgiving. For the elder brother's grudge resulted in his refusal to enjoy the banquet of Christ's love.

    Perhaps none of us have done something as terrible as the one who made the false accusation against the Cardinal. Perhaps none of us have not had opportunities of reconciliation as dramatic as Cardinal Bernardin's meeting with Steven Cook. But all of us are called to moments of grace. We are called to forgive, and we are called to seek forgiveness. Husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, parents and children, neighbors and strangers, we are all called to the ministry of being reconciled with one another, just as God the Father seeks, through every person of every age to be reconciled with us.