Readings: Proverbs 2, Luke 15:11-32.

The parable of the Prodigal Son, well known, loved and much written about.

In the parable the father passes on the inheritance to the son. He was happy to give whatever the son asked for, nothing was withheld. Talents, or the gifts given by God to us are frequently likened to monetary resources by Jesus, therefore we can see that it was not the money in itself that was a problem, but what the son chose to do with it that led him on a perilous path – a pursuit of self-pleasure, a drive for gain, for material possession that is a seeking of pleasure from things that are fleeting and empty. Material things perish – getting worn out, used up, broken, lost or stolen.

Ultimately things, objects, have no meaning except that which our minds attach to them. Sometimes, perhaps, letting go of material things may be harder because a friend gave it to us or we fear change, or loss. But if the object is no longer useful for us, and sits around gathering dust – why keep it?  Yet, objects have no feelings, our friends and family would understand and may even have forgotten about it. It is the sentiment behind giving a gift that matters, how that person made us feel by an action which showed they thought of us. That is the true treasure, not the thing itself.

If we possess a thing that someone else wants, we should be prepared to give it up. If it would mean more to someone to have it and by receiving it make them feel loved by us, then why would we not give it to them? If something is hard for us to let go of, then giving it up becomes an act of love because we have shown that we value the person more than we value the object.

Instead, we are to realise that true blessings come with the fruits of the spirit which work on the inside of us, renewing our minds and strengthening our souls. Being blessed with peace and joy leads to true happiness. Being rich in the fruits of spirit will see us in healthy relationships and able to fulfil our God given purpose which may then lead to material rewards. But we do not work for them, instead we work out of love for God, who works in us and through us for the common good of all people.

Some commentaries have asked the question, why are there so few parables about families? Just two. Yet, we need to remember that change always begins within us, it begins in our hearts – and from the heart, our thoughts, words and deeds are carried forth, like a ripple in time, the human spirit moves out from the personal space around us into our families, and into our communities which become the world.

Jesus came to us with the sword of truth, not to breakdown human relations, but to strengthen them. For if we love God, and God’s ways above all things, then we walk on the way of the wise, and we become a light of love in the world – and our world is shaped by the spirit that moves within it – so let that be love, now and in every generation. For the love we give in the place which we are is passed on as an inheritance to our children – children are literally the future we hold in our hearts.

In those days, thousands of years ago, the son was considered a reflection of the father, without the education system as we understand it today, a son would have taken up the trade of his father. Therefore, the separation here, a son asking for his inheritance before his father death, was akin to a schism, a son wishing to be his own man, to go his own way – rather than stay – to stay with humility in the field of service; of planting, tending to growth and harvest.  

Yet, if a man has his heart set on his own way – what good would it do the father to restrain him, to curtail this freedom? For in so doing the very gift of true love is itself lost. Instead, we are creatures of learning, of complex embodied experiences and relationships.

Perhaps the suffering, or the trial of the prodigal son is something for us to be more mindful of – that in going for our fulfilment alone, that selfishness in the heart brings a famine of the spiritual food that sustains our soul, it is not a path to or from heaven – yet in God’s mercy, we may get the same lesson over and over again until we understand, until we return to God, return to love, return to our hearts. St. Aquinas says grace is a matter of people coming to share in God’s life, he says it is nothing other than a certain participation in the divine nature. (ST II.I.112)

The prodigal son is us; he represents humanity – he represents everyone who returns to the LORD following our exile. Divine mercy is wide, it is open like the arms of the father, who patiently kept watch for his son’s return.

With this is mind, the parable reminds me of words in the song ‘Amazing Grace’ by John Newton:

‘Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.’

 

The distance between the father and the son is interesting, because I see it as representing our freedom to move and be whoever or wherever we will while God waits patiently, whilst we – in the part of us that is alone and free – we make the decision to act, to be with, to participate – for God desires us to hear Him, He desires us to listen to the voice of love, gentle and soft in the stillness within. For we do not work for God against our will, but we align our will, we align our desire for the good, the perfect, and to love.

The second son, the angry son, has a sense of perceived injustice, in essence he says to the father ‘look at what he did, and you have rewarded his indiscretion by organising a celebration!’ Most people would see a lack of consequence as unfair – and this is rather like the labourers who work a few hours being paid the same as those who work many! (Matthew 20: 1–16).

And here’s the thing – the son who has it all and chooses not to give it up, the one who thought he was ‘good’ has separated himself from the love of his brother by judging what they both chose to do with their time, his outrage has him losing his own peace by this response to events. Can we promote peace if our own hearts are in turmoil? Therefore, we must ask, what good can come from his anger? Perhaps a little soul searching of his own is necessary – did he make the time to enjoy a Sabbath rest, in comfort, and with joy? Where did the resentment for his journey versus his brother’s journey come other than by way of judgement? Perhaps we can find a response to this in considering St. Peter who asks Jesus about St. John – “Lord, what about him?” John 21:21. Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!” John 21:22.

It is a tension between our perception of the relations between us, the world and God. But God says;

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

    neither are your ways my ways,”

    declares the Lord.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,

    so are my ways higher than your ways

    and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

We can contrast this family dynamic with that of the Trinitarian relationship of God as Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. As the Father sent His Son into the world – not for Himself did He come, but to show us the Father in Himself and the works of God through Himself and the Holy Spirit – a harmony of being one in and with – even though in the world having the appearance of separation – Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane; ‘not my will be done but Yours’. Luke 22:42.

The lessons of the Parable are really of the cardinal virtues – of prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance. “The prudent man looks where he is going.” (CCC 1806). The son, his hunger for the food from the father, will have a physical and spiritual dimension to its reality as applied to the Christian life – teaching us the importance of prudence in planning for unforeseen circumstances as Joseph had been able to do in the book of Genesis, (Genesis 47:13-27). The son’s hunger also reminds us of the poverty of being without family.

Mother Teresa said, “Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.”

As Christians we are called to, ‘Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father […]: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.’ James 1:27.

Yet, in the world of appearances, everyone has an opinion about the mode of our being in the world, the ‘what’ we should do with our time and attention – we are bombarded by messages of doing this or that. So, let us hold fast to our faith.

‘As it is written:

“What no eye has seen,

    what no ear has heard,

and what no human mind has conceived”—

    the things God has prepared for those who love him.’ 1 Corinthians 2:9.

Therefore, let us reflect upon, be mindful of and cultivate within, the four cardinal virtues, whilst allowing God to be the author of justice, not of our will – but a moving with His, that is loving our neighbour, and loving humanity.

Amen.