Fr. JC Maximilian

One of Jesus’ most well-known parables is the one we heard in today’s Gospel reading; the Prodigal Son. However, this name, “The Prodigal Son,” is really something of a misnomer, for the focus of the parable really is not suppose to be on the ne’er-do-well son. Rather the real centerpiece of this beautiful parable of our Lord is on the father, who by his love and forgiveness towers over both of his uncomprehending sons. Maybe a better name for this parable would be “The Merciful Father and His Two Lost Sons.” While so well know, there is always so much we can learn from a closer reflection on this lesson from Jesus.

Let us first look at the Younger Son. He is bore and rebellious. He thinks he understands the world so much better than his father. He is sure that if only he had the freedom to do whatever he wants he would be truly happy. Of course he needs something from his father, namely money, to really be “free” to pursue his happiness, and once he gets the money, his inheritance, he abandons his father to go to a distant country to do his own thing. At first all seems to be proving the younger son right; he is doing his own thing and having a blast. However, soon he has spent all his money, and the hard times really begin. He is starving. Even when he comes to the “light,” his contrition is hardly perfect. His motivation to return to his father seems to come more from seeking his own welfare, and not from sorrow for wounding his father’s love.

The younger son represents one of the most common errors; a false understanding of what freedom is. All sin starts from the idea that MY desires are the most important thing in the world. While it is true that the deepest desires that will bring true and everlasting happiness are found written in our hearts, we must have the humility to recognize that they are not written in our hearts by us or any other human being. Rather they are written in our hearts by God, who made us in His image and likeness. Too often we are like this younger son and think that God is interfering with our freedom with all His “moral rules.” Like the younger son we move from the atmosphere of Love, which is living in God’s grace, to live in a distant country, namely sin. Like the younger son, at first things seem to go well, but in the end, if we are really honest, we realize that none of the material things nor merely human relationships make us truly, eternally happy. We recognize that we are in the pigs’ mire. Like the younger son, our contrition is often far from perfect; motivated more out of fear of going to hell, or just fulfilling a duty to go to Confession at least once a year. Perfect contrition, however, proceeds from the motive of perfect love for God. As the Baltimore Catechism defines it, “Perfect contrition is that which fills us with sorrow and hatred for sin, because it offends God, who is infinitely good in Himself and worthy of all love” (Baltimore Catechism: Volume 3, Lesson 18, answer to question #765).

Now let us turn to the father in the parable. The father is deeply grieved by his younger son’s absence. He daily looks for his son to return to him. When he sees that his younger son is returning to him, the father does not wait for the son to get all the way home. Rather the father RUNS to him with a renewed strength and joy. He gives his son no reproach; in fact he does not even bother to listen to the younger son’s rehearsed speech. The father embraces his younger son with his love, and calls for a celebration.

Too often we look at God as being a stern judge who we must appease with prayers, sacrifices and good works. But God is our loving Father; He is easy to satisfy. St. John Chrysostom, in commenting on this parable, said, “All that God looks for from us is the slightest opening and he forgives a multitude of sins” (On Repentance, Homily 1, 3-4). The parable offers us a beautiful image of God’s grace; to be lovingly embraced by God. Grace is a free gift from God; we do not earn it. In fact we never could earn it. While free, God’s grace of redemption did not come cheaply. St. Paul tells us in today’s second reading, from his second letter to the Corinthians, just how costly the grace of redemption was, “For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21).

Finally we should turn our attention to the older son. He is filled with indignation, resentment, envy and anger. Why? Because his father is being so generous and forgiving in celebrating the younger son’s return. Notice that the older son does not even want to acknowledge the younger son as his own brother. He refers to his brother as “your son” when expressing his indignation to his father. He points out all his good conduct, and implies that he is owed something. The older son never seems to have noticed his father’s sadness when his younger brother was absent. In a very real way the older son is just as “lost” as his younger brother. While never leaving home, he was also living in a “distant country,” far from his father’s free and generous love.

The older son represents the Scribes and Pharisees to whom Jesus is addressing this parable. Remember that the Gospel today started with the Pharisees and scribes complaining because Jesus “welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Remember in the Jewish culture at that time, pigs were considered one of the most unclean of all animals, so someone who worked in a pig sty would be among the scum of the earth. It would make them indignant to think that God loves the scum of the earth. While they want God to be forgiving, they did not want His forgiving love to be too free, that way they could keep it just for themselves. They were self-righteous in a most literal sense, thinking that it was by their sacrifices of animals and extremely careful following of the Law – not just the Law that God gave them, that which is inscribed in the human heart, but all the laws that they and their ancestors had made – that they would make themselves righteous before God. The problem is that God’s grace of redemption is a totally free gift given by God because there is NOTHING that we mere human beings could do to earn our redemption. God’s love is completely and utterly gratuitous.

Are we sometimes like the older son? Do we sometimes become indignant with people who have been great sinners, who now seem to get good things and are being welcomed into the Church? How often do we sometimes say to ourselves, “Well, I am holier than so-and-so.” When we do that, we are living in a distant country, far from God’s free and generous love, even as we sit in church each weekend.

The parable ends with the father again coming to meet his son, this time the older one, and pleading with him to join in the celebration and to rejoice. We do not know if the older son is persuaded by his father’s loving plea to rejoice and lovingly embrace his brother. Jesus wants us to supply the ending.

Do we just fulfill the obligations and duties of religion, or do we enthusiastically live as a new creation in Christ? Is Mass a celebration of joy each week, or is it a burdensome weekly obligation that we try to finish and get out of as quickly as possible? I urge you to “taste and see the goodness of the Lord,” and “be reconciled to God” so that as ambassadors of Christ, God will appeal through us to all of our prodigal brothers and sisters.