Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. 27 The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. 30 But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ 31 He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. 32 But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.”
In the first part of the Parable of the Lost Son (Lk. 15:11-24), Jesus revealed the true heart of God, the loving Father, who welcomes sinners back with open arms without question or condition. In the second part of the parable, the just son refused to forgive and share in his father’s joy. He shared the Pharisees' criticism of Jesus, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them (Lk. 15:2).”
The older son was irate at what his father did and did not want to accept his “dead” brother back into the household. He refused to enter the house so the father came out to him (v. 28). The just son said, “All these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders (v. 29).” He did not want to accept the repentance of “your son (v. 30)” who he no longer considered his brother. Clearly, the older brother never understood the love and compassion his father had for both of them. The father reassured the older son, “You are here with me always; everything I have is yours (v. 31),” which was the remaining two-thirds of the estate. The Father wanted him to understand that the younger son was restored from death to life (v. 32).
God’s mercy is more powerful than our human actions and the father of the lost son demonstrated how God wants us to act towards sinners and those who are lost. Even the just, as could be represented by the older son who never disobeyed his father, do not understand the depth of God’s mercy. The younger son recognized his sin, repented, and sought forgiveness like the tax collectors and sinners.
Almighty God, grant us the grace to accept that your ways are not like our ways and that your mercy and forgiveness are showered upon all for the salvation of all. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
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