“…A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat; and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet 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 unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, 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 elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.” Luke 15:11-32
My Summary & Reflection
This parable is familiar to many. In it, a younger son asks his father for his share of his inheritance while the father still lives. The father agrees and divides up his assets and provides the required share to the younger son. After receiving his share, the younger son leaves town and moves to another country where he spends his inheritance wastefully. When all that he had was now spent, he took a job feeding pigs and was not earning enough money to feed himself. He then considers returning to his father’s house as he was on the verge of starvation. Knowing that he had already spent all of his inheritance, and that he had shamed himself and his family, his hope was only to be hired to be a servant in his father’s house. However, when his father saw his approach, he was so overjoyed that he quickly had him clothed in the finest robes and ordered a feast be held for him. When the older brother returned from working in his father’s fields, he heard the commotion of a feast and inquired of a servant what was happening. He was informed that his younger brother had returned and that their father was preparing a feast. The older brother became jealous and stayed away from the feast. Their father came out to him and asked why he was missing the feast. The elder son responded that he had always done everything his father had asked, and never had a feast thrown on his behalf. Whereas, his younger brother, who had shamed the family, was receiving a feast. The father said to his elder son, that everything that the father now owns belongs to him. But he will celebrate because his son, who to him had been dead, was now alive.
The younger son, who had spent all of his inheritance, knew that he had sinned against his father, and against himself and therefore did not expect anything other than perhaps the compassion of his father to allow him to be hired as a servant at the home where he formerly lived. However, his father, as our Father, is always happy to receive anyone who returns to him. The path that the younger son had chosen, was one that was leading toward death, both spiritually and physically. But when he humbled himself to return to his father, to admit his wrong, his march toward death was averted. That is why the father exclaimed that “for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again.” This story shows the joy with which all sinners who return to the Lord will be received. It says that no matter what any of us have done to separate ourselves from our Father’s blessings, we will always be welcomed back if we humble ourselves and return to him.
For the elder brother, who had always remained true to his father’s commands, he felt angry and jealous that such a big feast would be held for his disobedient brother. But, like in the parable of A Householder Hiring Workers https://leaveninthemeal.com/2018/09/05/week-7-a-householder-hiring-workers/, the elder son is assured that he loses nothing by being happy that his brother has returned to the path of life. He will still receive everything that he had been promised. He will not only receive his promised inheritance, but he also receives a brother that had been lost, but now is found. Therefore, we should all be rejoicing for our brothers and sisters as they are welcomed back by our Father and they will enrich us as they rejoin our eternal family.
Your Reflection
- Do you believe that you will be forgiven your transgressions against your Father?
- Are you ready to return to Him with humility and hope?
- Are you happy for your sisters and brothers to find their way back to your Father?