The Prodigal Son

Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them."

Then He said: "A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!' I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."' And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and 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, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.

"Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.' But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.' "

- Luke 15:1-2,11-32

In yesterday's reading, Jesus was criticized by the Pharisees and scribes because He ate with the tax collectors and sinners. Jesus then gave us two parables about finding what was lost: the parable of the Lost Sheep and the parable of the Lost Coin. He was illustrating the tremendous joy at the "recovery" of one sinner in the heart of God. Jesus said, "Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." Today's reading continues that of yesterday. We understand that Jesus is in a setting where He is defending His welcome and love for sinners and those who are marginalized and excluded. This builds on the parable from an earlier reading, of a great banquet from which the invited guests were excluded, in favor of outsiders and the poor. (See Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!) As noted above, Jesus has just given us two parables, and now gives another.

My study bible has an important note on the entire passage, which I will repeat here: "This parable, perhaps the most magnificent of all parables, occurs only in Luke and illustrates God's unconditional love and forgiveness for the repentant sinner." The uniqueness of this parable found only in Luke, and of the "quiet beatitude" of the earlier reading ("Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!") give us a deeper understanding of Luke as the Evangelist to the Gentiles - to the outsiders, the excluded. As a physician in his life, Luke perhaps draws on and magnifies the element of compassion for all that is an essential component of the Christian faith.

Then He said: "A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood." My study bible notes, "The father fills the request of the son out of profound respect for his freedom, and he lets him go for the same reason. God neither holds nor pulls anyone by force." How important this note and commentary is for us to understand! God's will is never to coerce; God does not compel us to love Him. We have free will over our choices, just as we have no control over the choices of others - and we must remember this!

"And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine." My study bible notes, "Consenting to feed swine, unclean and despised animals to Jews, is an act of utter desperation." We can only imagine the degradation implied in the story. And, we recall, it is a story that is being told to the scribes and Pharisees - as Jesus sits at table with the tax collectors and sinners. It's also an important illustration about the journey of life. We can make choices for today, but conditions will change. We have no prediction for the certainties of the future. We are finite creatures, and bound to make mistakes.

"And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!' " A note reads: "Extreme need brings the prodigal son to his senses, but what draws him homeward is probably his father's love." Elsewhere I've heard it noted that the line of significant importance is that "he came to himself." In this sense, we understand ourselves awakened to our "true selves," our "true nature" in relationship to God - when we understand the call to Creator. Then we begin the journey to authenticity, recovery of our souls, true nature and image, true self. Repentance becomes a positive recovery in joy, not a loss.

" 'I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."' And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him." A note reads: "The father's tender actions show he never ceased looking for the return of his son, just as God always longs for the return of every sinner to His forgiving embrace. In Jewish culture, it was considered undignified for an older man to run, but that did not stop this father." It's really quite awesome to realize that many parables do not draw on daily life as it is normally lived to make a point. Rather, hidden in these parables - as nominal examples drawn from daily life - is the difference between God's kingdom (and God's love) and worldly reality. This was also true of the parable in yesterday's reading of the shepherd who searches for one lost sheep. It illustrates for us the tremendous power of this love that knows no bounds, and is uncircumscribed by nominal social "rules" for dignity, modesty, frugality or caution. God's love is boundless and does not fail.

"And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and 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, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry." A note here reads: "The father does not censure the contrite son, but celebrates his homecoming as of one who came alive from the dead. The symbolic significance of the robe is righteousness (Is. 61:10), the ring (a signet ring) is family identity (Hag. 2:23), and sandals refer to walking according to the gospel (Eph. 6:15)." The whole image is one of "reclamation" - the son is returned to his family, where he belongs, and in that sense, to his own belongings, and all the wealth (including joy) that is a part of that kingdom.

"Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.' But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.' " A note in my study bible says, "The father also has to deal with the resentful older son (v. 25) and does so with the same gentle kindness shown to the younger. By contrast, this son shows a pharisaic attitude of self-righteousness and contempt for his brother, much like a Church member who does not wish to be bothered with visitors or new converts." This parable reminds me also of the one in which Jesus emphasizes that the first shall be last and the last first - but all get the same reward. But I think my study bible has an important note here about excessive moralism. This kingdom is not bound by rules of legality. As we have noted earlier, God's love is boundless. It is over the top. It overflows. It cannot be contained in "the rules." And this is where we really learn about love. In terms of the point the note makes, how many churches (or other nominally spiritual groups) have you been in where outsiders or newcomers were made unwelcome? Perhaps even an invitation to celebrate a religious holiday can be such an occasion. I can say that I have had all of these unfortunate experiences, and they fail to mirror the love Christ teaches us.

Jesus' parables teach us about a kingdom that overflows with love, that God's love is "over the top" for us. All God truly desires and wishes is that we return to His family, His flock, His fold - that we return to Him. This is a simple act, within ourselves, within our hearts. It doesn't require a great show of tribulation and repentance. It really doesn't require a great feast or celebration or show. But the joy that overflows in our hearts and really and truly teaches us about love comes inside, within us. It is something that illuminates us, fills us with the light Jesus has spoken of in Luke's Gospel so eloquently. It requires only that we be willing to reconsider, to "change our minds" (which is the literal meaning of the world for repentance, the Greek "metanoia"). Don't let anybody's rules or wrong judgment get in the way of God's love for you. Turn in your heart and be willing to open the door, to loose the bonds of whatever it is you cling to, and ask for a better direction, for "where to go." And be willing to reconsider whatever aspect of life you need to. To repent feels like losing a part of ourselves - but it is truly "coming to ourselves" as did the Prodigal Son. You find yourself where you truly belong, and where you can be led to know who you are and what you can become. The "shoulds" we cling to may get in the way of Christ's love and direction for us. Love is something endless and boundless, as infinite as God. Our finite perceptions cannot set limits on God.