He said, “A certain man had two
sons. The younger of them said, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ He
divided his wealth between them. Not many days later, the younger son took
everything he had and traveled into a far country, where he wasted his fortune
in riotous living. When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine,
and he became desperate. He went to work for a local farmer who sent him into
his fields to feed pigs. He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the
pigs ate, but wasn’t allowed.
When he came to himself, he
said, ‘My father’s servants have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying of
hunger! I will get up, go to him, and say, “Father, I have sinned against
heaven, and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me
as one of your hired servants.”’
“He arose, and went to his
father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with
compassion; the father ran, fell on his neck, and kissed him. The son said,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and against you. I am no longer worthy
to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his
servants, ‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand,
and shoes on his feet. Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and
celebrate; for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is
found.’ They began to celebrate.
“Now his elder son was in the
field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one
of the servants to him, and asked what was going on. He said to him, ‘Your
brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has
received him back safe and healthy.’
The elder son was angry, and
would not go in. His father came out, and begged him. But he answered his
father, ‘These many years I have served you. I never disobeyed a commandment of
yours, but you never gave me even a goat, that I might celebrate with my
friends. But when this son of yours came home after spending your money on prostitutes,
you killed the fattened calf for him.’
“The father said, ‘Son, you are
always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But it was appropriate to
celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He
was lost, and is found.’”
Reflection
Jesus told this parable, not
to emphasize the son’s sinfulness, but the father’s love. This is one of the
central stories by which Jesus revealed the extravagance of God’s love for
those caught up either in rebellion against God or in self-righteous piety. In
this story, do you identify more with one son than the other? In what way does
this story speak of God’s love for you?
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for
showing so clearly that you can love me even if the way I have lived fills me
with shame.
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