Luke 15: 11-32
11 Jesus added: 12 And the younger said to his father, “Father, give me part of the property that belongs to me.” And he distributed his goods [c] to them. Thirteen days later, the youngest went together to a distant country, where he lived irregularly and squandered his fortune.
14 After spending everything, a great famine struck the country and became necessary. 15 So he went and approached one of the citizens of the country and sent him to his field to feed the pigs. 16 And he wanted to put the pods that the pig ate into his stomach, but no one gave him anything. 17 Then he realized, “Some of my father’s workers are leaving bread, but here I am hungry! 18 I get up and go to my father and tell him. Oh, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 Already I don’t deserve to do it. To be called your son. Make me like one of your workers. “‘”
20 “He got up and went to see his father. While he was still far away, his father saw him, felt compassion, ran, leaned on his neck and kissed him. [G]. 21 The son said to him” Father, I have sinned against the sky and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son [h]. But my father did. He said to his servants: “Immediately. Bring and wear the best clothes. Put a ring on your hand and sandals on your feet. 23 Bring a fat calf to kill, eat and please. 24 Because this son of mine died and came back to life. I got lost and they began to rejoice.
25 His oldest son was out in the field, and when he got home and walked over, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of his servants and asked what it was. 27 He said to him, “Your brother came and your father received the fattened calf as safe and sound and killed it.”
28 Then he was angry and did not want to go in. His father came out and asked him to join. 29 But he said to his father: Look, for many years I served you and never obeyed your orders, but you gave me a son and pleased my friends. 30 But when your son came and consumed your goods with the prostitute, you killed a fatted calf. 31 His father said to him, “My son, you have always been with me. My only thing is yours. 32 But your brother, this is dead and alive, so I needed to celebrate and rejoice.”
Reflection:
The parable of the prodigal son is a well-known and popular parable. I would like to reflect on that, but perhaps some specific points. If we think about the son and what he asks of the father (his inheritance), we can believe that the son is actually telling the father … Father, you are dead to me, I do not want to live with you, I do not want to know more from you, money means more to me, give me my share and I’ll go … Perhaps it is strong to think so, but that is what he said in other words. By asking for his share of the inheritance, which only happens when a person dies, the son told the father that he no longer cared.
Now think how many times you have not told God … Father, are you dead to me, give me what belongs to me and I don’t need you? How many times have you told the Father that I alone can, I want to do things my way?
Later we see in the parable that the son spent all the money, went hungry so he looked for work to take care of pigs (the prodigal son was a Jew and for the Jews the pig is the most abominable or humble thing in the world, a job of caring for pigs is the lowest a Jew can go) and he was so hungry that he wanted to eat the garbage the pigs took away. But he reacted to the realization that he had a rich father and decided to apologize. While he is away, the father sees him and the FATHER runs up to him and forgives him. It is important to think that the father saw him from afar, which tells me that the father always looked, always waited, always worried about his son, so much so that he ran towards the son (the kings at that time did not run towards him). people, they were very important, people ran towards them,
Now think about how many times God has forgiven you. He is waiting, eager to see you run to you and forgive you, put the ring on you so that you are part of the family. Do you want to be forgiven?
The other older brother or son is upset that they are celebrating their brother’s return, but they have never celebrated that he was present without fail. That he has always been the “exemplary” son.
Now think about how many times you have judged others because they are sinners. How many times do you think that because you are in the Church, because you are in prayer groups, in Bible study groups, because you follow the commandments, because you pray, because you pray, because you go to mass … like you? Do you deserve something from God, or do you think that the “others” are sinners because they do not seek God as you do? Ask God to enlighten you so that you do not have a mentality like that of the older son.
Our beauty is that he is merciful. He is waiting to see you up close (he does not force you) to run to you, forgive you, love you and make you part of the family (put the ring on).
Accept it and seek it … Let yourself be forgiven … Let yourself be loved