The Parable of the Prodigal Son is definitely one of the most famous stories in Sacred Scripture. In the father in this story, we get a glimpse of our God as Father. He is indeed a prodigal father – prodigal not in the sense of being wasteful (as was his younger son), but prodigal in the sense of being extravagant with his generous and unconditional love. This he showed for his sons even though they had taken him for granted, and worse, insulted him.
We see in the story how the younger son asked for his share of the inheritance even though his father was still very much alive. But the good father granted the request of his son. He could have lambasted this erring son for what he requested was like saying that he could not wait for his father to die. Yet this did not deter the father from pouring out totally and fully his love and understanding to his erring son.
The older son who was equally loved by the father also failed. He failed to see himself as a son. He only saw himself as a servant who did not get what was due him, who did not have everything that the father had. He had to be reminded: “All that I have is yours.” There are times when we do not look at ourselves as children of our parents. We do so many things in order to feel deserving of their love for us. In the same way, we do not feel deserving of God’s love for us. We do not see how blessed we are that our Father in heaven is more than willing to grant us what we can never ever deserve.
Like the sons in this parable, we, to a greater or lesser degree, experience what it is to be lost due to our weaknesses. We forget that we are loved and valued by God. But there is the desire to be found. And when we allow ourselves to be found, the natural consequence is to rejoice. We are blessed that we have a Father who has unconditional love for us and is simply happy when we, His erring children, go back to Him. Let us then be grateful for having a Father Who is always on the lookout for our eventual return to Him.
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