Fourth Sunday of Lent

THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON

Gospel Bullet Points (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32)

• In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the peculiarity of Jesus comes out again: JESUS BEING A FRIEND OF SINNERS. In the parable, we notice that the more we accept our sinfulness, the more the Lord approaches and comes to us. In human relations, we want to hide our faults and sins for fear of rejection. But one’s confession of sin, like that of Peter and the prodigal son, does not change God’s plan for us.
• The prodigal son was dissatisfied with the home, so he left home to live independently from his father. But later, he was in trouble and discovered the hopelessness of his situation–wasted money, lost friends, no food to eat. In short, he was in crisis. But he accepted his hopelessness. Moments of crisis are also moments of discovery. Experiences of failures can also be converted into moments of grace and moments of conversion.  In his moments of crisis, the prodigal son remembered his home and his father, that the future can still be better. The journey back home was a journey from foolishness to wisdom. 
• Take note that it was the father who first saw the son. The implication is that from the moment the prodigal son left, the father was already waiting for the son to come back. He then approaches the son, not minding the words of the son asking for forgiveness (“Father forgive me for I have sinned. I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Just treat me as one of your servants”). Instead, the father accepted him back as his beloved son. He tells his servants, “Let us celebrate with a feast because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life.” (The implication here is that once we decide to run and stay away from the Father, we are spiritually dead). But the parable tells us that we can always return back to the Father—to journey from death back to life.
•  The parable invites us to be reconciled to God. Come home, for the first time, or the thousandth time. . . the loving, forgiving, and compassionate FATHER is waiting for you!

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