The parable of the Prodigal Son is so familiar, it can be easy to forget why he went back to his father. He was not simply dissatisfied with the life he had been living before. He was not merely unhappy with the impoverished life he was living then. He was “dying from hunger” (Lk. 15:17). The food he was able to scrape together was not enough—he was slowly wasting away. He went back to his father because it was the only way for him even to live.
This is our own situation. We do not go to Jesus because our lives may have a bit more meaning, because it helps us get out of bed, or because we are somewhat more satisfied—though all these things may happen. We go to Jesus because we want to live. God does not just help me give meaning to my world—God broadens the horizons of meaning, and forces me to acknowledge places and realities I might not otherwise. God broadens the horizons of my love, and demands I give love where I might not otherwise. God keeps my soul from shriveling up and dying. Lent is not just a time to shake bad habits—it is a time to return to God, and re-discover the only way for us even to live.