THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON
Beloved, the younger son knew his father well enough to be quite confident that what he asked for would not be denied. Much as his father loved him, cared for him and tenderly provided for him, he knew from experience that this love was not suffocating, he was free and confident in the knowledge that he was a cherished son.
What motivated this son then to demand his portion of the inheritance that would rightfully be his only at his father's death?
Did he at all stop to think of how he would wound his father by demanding what could not be his until his father died?
What were the passions that gnawed at his entrails and demanded that he not only leave home but travel far away to live as a stranger in a strange land?
Whatever the reasons may have been for this selfish and thoughtless young man to make this terrible request, the father gave him what he demanded knowing with certainty that his son would come to grief. He had lived a sheltered life in the confines of his father's home and under this father's patronage. He enjoyed the benefits that the respect and esteem of everyone had for his father. He had lived as a favored son who belonged. What compelled him to throw it all away?
It took him a few days to get his belongings together before he left home. What was the atmosphere in that house like? Each time the father looked with loving compassion and sadness at his boy he must have stifled a sigh of sorrow.
Without a backward glace the boy left home excitedly. His heart beat wildly at all the thrills he imagined lay in store for him away from the serene and happy confines of his home that he imagined stifled his free spirit.
A profligate and his money are soon parted. He went as far away from home as he possible could where no one knew him. The heady and sinful lifestyle that he began to lead soon attracted a huge following of fair weather friends to help him spend his fortune which quickly dwindled. As the money decreased so dis these friends, until there was not one to walk with him. Calamity struck and in addition to being friendless and penniless, in a foreign land, a terrible famine struck that country . He looked for work but being a stranger and friendless he could find nothing. Finally this young Jewish lad who was the son of a noble father sought and found employment in a pig sty looking after animals considered unclean to people of his faith.
After many days of near starvation the days came when he longed to eat the scraps that were fed to the pigs but even this was denied to him. Stripped naked of every shred of dignity, reason returns through the hunger pangs of a starved belly. He day dreams of the happy and contented lives the servants in his father's house enjoy and he decides to return home. He prepares a moving little speech begging his father's forgiveness.
Meanwhile the father has been keeping his eyes peeled to the horizon every day hoping for his son's return. The lines on his face grow deeper, the look in his eye sadder as he slowly returns to the house. He does not give up hope though, he is certain that the powerful love he bears his son will draw him home again. Then one day lo and beheld he sees a figure far away in the distance and he knows that the day he had yearned for had finally arrived. His son was coming home. The father races to meet him, arms flung wide open eagerly rushing to embrace his son. The boy begins his pretty little speech but the father drowns it out as he shouts for the servants to quickly bring out the best robe, put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. The father is beside himself with joy as he berates the servants to quickly restore all the
symbols of sonship and honor to his long lost son.
What a beautiful and moving parable and only Jesus could tell it so expressively because He knows the Heavenly Father's heart and love better than any one and only the Holy Spirit could imbue it with such life that it gets richer each time one reads it anew. Only Love who is in the Bosom of Love could speak of the tender love the Father bears for every one of His children.
I see myself clearly in this parable.
There are many who say, "If God knows I am going to sin why does He not intervene and prevent me from doing so." God, who is a wise and benevolent Father knows that we have to find out for ourselves, after many tears and lots of heart ache and heart break where our true happiness lies. No one can make that discovery for us we have to do it ourselves.
We receive grace through the sacraments but this grace once squandered through sin needs to be replenished, if not we will soon be scrounging for dregs and bitter lees at the bottom of the barrel. It is only when we look back at past blessings we can understand the love relationship we were privileged to enjoy and how we misused and abused it even though all we have ever known is love and acceptance as a member of the family of God. Once we are able to comprehend the distressful state that sin and self indulgence have wrought, and we have been stripped of every shed of dignity, reason dawns and we remember what we have lost and thoughts of home begin to gnaw at the soul. We know that we can always go back home and we believe that God will not deny us some scraps of comfort. In fact how little we actually know the true nature of the Father’s love. We catch a glimpse of our heavenly Father’s love for repentant sinners from the response of the father in this parable on his son’s return.
Luke 15:20-24
20 He was still a long way off when his father caught sight of him. His father was so deeply moved with compassion that he ran out to meet him, threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. 21The son said: ‘Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you. I no longer deserve to be called your son…’
22 But the father turned to his servants: ‘Quick! Bring out the finest robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Take the fattened calf and kill it. We shall celebrate and have a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has come back to life. He was lost and is found.’ And the celebration began.
Verses 20 – 24 speak eloquently of the absolutely mind boggling response of the father to his wayward younger son. The incredible love of the father who never stopped waiting, watching and longing for his son’s return. He waited each day, eyes fixed on the horizon willing his son to come back and lo and behold one day he did. The father recognized him in the distance and ran to meet him. He could not wait to restore the boy to his place in the bosom of his family, a place the boy believed he had lost forever. Every symbol of an honored son was bestowed on him – a rich cloak, a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. God does not do things by halves. If we are sorry and take one step towards Him, He runs all the way to meet us and generously restores all that we had thought we’d lost through disobedience. The son returned a better man in suffering deceit, shame and hardship. In experiencing the prodigality of his father’s all embracing love he was better able to understand and appreciate the selfless and immeasurable love of his father for him.
What are the ways in which I take God’s love for granted?
Do I think I am entitled to all that God in His great love has freely given me?
How often have I wounded Him by deliberately offending Him?
Grace is always available, all we need to do is to tap into its source. The tragedy is that many delay their return preferring to dally and flirt with sin for too long thus suffocating their conscience. The longer I wallow and dawdle with sin the more difficult it is for me to get up and walk away from it.
I must have a tender and sensitive conscience and that is only possible if I cultivate if through pray, repentance and partaking of the Sacraments regularly.
Father, Beloved and Holy Spirit help me!
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