24TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. 

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This has traditionally been called the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Prodigal comes from the Latin word “prodigere” which means to squander. The adjective “prodigal” is defined as being characterized by profuse or wasteful expenditure. If we take “prodigal” to mean profuse instead of wasteful expenditure, then we can change the title of the parable into “The Prodigal Father”. The father of the two sons was profuse or superabundant in the love he has shown for his sons, especially the younger one.

The parable is bundled with two other parables. The parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin. Therefore, the parable of the Prodigal Son may also be called the Parable of the Lost Son. Some scholars, however, prefer to call it the Parable of the Lost Sons because in his own way, the elder was also lost.

The parable of the Prodigal Son, a marvellous revelation of God’s unending love and mercy for the repentant sinner.

Steps in the story:

• The son receives his share of the inheritance from a loving father. Asking for his inheritance while his father was still alive was tantamount to saying he could not wait until his father had died.

• He goes off to a far country, far from his father. The physical distance is but a sign of the emotional distance the son has put between him and his father.

• He is not only far in distance but also in thinking: he wastes the inheritance he has been given in pleasures and enjoyment of the most immoral kind.

• In the end, he has nothing.

• A famine strikes the place and he has nothing to eat, no money to buy food.

• He is forced (horror of horrors for a Jew) to feed pigs and is so hungry he is ready even to eat the slops given to them. Slop is food waste (as garbage) fed to animals. One can hardly imagine a lower level of abasement and poverty.

• Then, he comes to his senses. Sometimes one needs to hit rock-bottom to come to one’s senses. That’s why he remembers home and how good his situation was. There the lowest servants/slaves are better off than he is. He will try to go home. But after what he has done, he does not expect to be accepted back. He will beg to be taken as one of the lowest servants. What a humiliation! He was being served before as master. Now he will just be one of them. This is a desperate act on his part. He now prepares a carefully worded speech for his father.

• Then he starts the journey back in fear. He knows he deserves very severe treatment, if not outright rejection. “I do not know you! My son died a long time ago.”

• While still far away, the father sees him. He has been anxiously waiting all this time. Perhaps, every day he would look out the window in the hope that on that day he will see his son returning. Eager for his son, the father cannot wait. He rushes out to welcome his son and takes him in his arms.

• The son tries to make his speech. He is not allowed to continue. Instead orders are given for the best clothes to be brought out and a magnificent banquet to be laid on. “This son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.”It is a time of celebration.

• The elder son, working in the fields comes back at the end of a hard day and hears the sounds of merrymaking. When he is told what is going on, he is extremely angry. Has he not been a loyal, faithful, hard-working son and nothing even approaching this was ever done for him! He refuses to go into his father’s house.

• The father remonstrates with him: “You are always with me and everything I have is yours. But your brother was utterly lost. Now he is back, we have to celebrate.” The parable ends without us knowing if the elder son joined the celebration or if he steadfastly remained outside. This is because the parable is directed to us. And the decision to come in or to remain outside depends entirely on us.

There are three people in this story.

• The son who went far from his Father and followed his own way into the most degrading behaviour.

• The son who thought he was good and observant but, deep down, did not have the mind of his Father at all. He kept the commandments and all the rules but did not have a forgiving heart. He did not belong in his Father’s house.

• The Father whose love never changes no matter what his children do and is ready to accept them back every time without exception.

Which of these three most represents me? Which one would I want to be like?