Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 So he told them this parable:
11 “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’
20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
25 Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31 Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”
The Loving Father and Two Prodigal Sons
Insight into the context may help us better understand the morality of this parable.
The Pharisees and the scribes express their resentment and grumble about Jesus because "He welcomes sinners and eats with them" (v. 1-3). Jesus is giving them three parables to reflect upon God's love for all, the righteous and the sinners. More deeply, He leads them to think about how true their loyalty is to God in practice, so that the saying of Isaiah does not apply to them, "This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me" Isaiah 29:13.
The parable proposed for our spiritual reflection this Sunday invites us to think about our personal practice of our faith in the light of God's Love and His model to follow. The father in the parable respects the choice of his younger son, though he had the full right and power to refuse his son's request. His son's request means, according to the legal system, that he is anticipating his father's death. The loving father accepts his son's challenge.
After a period of recklessness and complete loss, he finds himself at the lowest levels of dignity. He tends pigs and desires to eat their food, but even that is not given to him. He comes back to himself. The hour of penitence and self-reform has arrived. He acknowledges that he doesn't deserve to be treated as a son but as a hired worker.
On his way home, his father runs to meet him, embraces him, and orders that his dignity be restored to him as a son, not as a hired hand.
The best robe, ring and sandals, the signs of a free person not a slave, are offered to him. The fatted calf is brought to celebrate and declare that the son's dignity is restored and announced by the father. "He was lost and is now found, dead and come back to life."
Repentance and returning to the Father restores our dignity, and makes us considered sons and not slaves. Let the Pharisees and the scribes know that Jesus came to save, not to condemn. St. Paul confirms this, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - and I am the worst among them" 1 Timothy 1:15-17.
The elder son, instead of sharing his father's joy and welcoming his brother with the same spirit his father shows, refuses to accept his brother's safety and his father's reaction. He loses the shared love and compassion of his father. He asks for rewards because he remained in his father's house working for him. He forgets that all that belongs to his father is also his.
The elder son represents the Pharisees and the scribes who were memorizing Scripures by heart, fasting twice a week and pretending to pay the tithe of their income to the Temple. The Lord said to them, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice" Matthew 12:7.
The father shows love, respect and dialogue with his two lost sons, the younger, who was lost by free choice and the elder, who was lost because he lost his spirit of love and compassion in refusing his repentant brother.
Lent is the time to think about our personal faith and practice. May we remember that the summit of God's justice is Mercy!
Lord, help us love with your heart, see with your eyes, and follow your ways in our lives.