Lenten Reflections of a Prodigal Son and his Brother

26Mar/110

Lenten Reflections of a Prodigal Son and his Brother

During Lent we are to be focused on reconciling ourselves to God. To contemplate in what ways we can become more like the Father. Inseparable from this is our instruction to live as the Christ demonstrated. He is indeed the Way. And His Way is that of complete sublimation to the Will of God. That is, His Way is all about reducing ourselves and opting instead to embrace our true vocational call: "ambassadors of Heaven."

Perhaps the most gripping of Christ's Teachings is the parable of the "Prodigal Son" - it is, as most of Jesus' Parables, one which deserves reading, re-reading, and contemplating, and praying over. Because what is at first obvious to the reader very much depends on the reader. It is the case that upon further consideration, dozens/hundreds of additional lessons are revealed. So that, as with all of Jesus' Teachings, the depth of Wisdom contained is impossible to plumb.

(Luke 15)

Then he said, "A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.' So the father divided the property between them.

After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.

When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need.

So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.

And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any.

Coming to his senses he thought, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger.

I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."

'So he got up and went back to his father. 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. His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.'But his father ordered his servants, 'Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast,because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.' Then the celebration began.

Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.

The servant said to him, 'Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him.He said to his father in reply, 'Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.

But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.'He said to him, 'My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'"

So much to say... but in rough sketches, here are some things to consider/contemplate (I assure you none of these insights is original to me - rather, they come from Benedict XVI, Father Mark Mary (you can find his inspirational Homily from Today's Mass on EWTN here later on today), and authors too numerous to cite (or even remember)):

1) One of Benedict's takes (in his book Jesus of Nazareth) is that the Older Son represents the Faithful Jews. For many of them, Jesus' message (existence and identity) was, understandably, incredibly hard to digest. The Faithful Jews had for millennia kept the Law. Defended the Law. Died for the Law. While the pagans around them lived like animals completely ignorant of the Law, the Faithful Chosen People of God kept the Law of Moses. And then, from seemingly nowhere, an upstart Rabbi announces that even these most hardened sinners, the Pagans, were invited to become God's adopted sons! That in spite of squandering their lives in shameful ways, the Father would celebrate their return to His Household. With a feast no less!

2) Is the parable really about the so-called "Prodigal Son?" Of course it is. For many of us, we at first see ourselves as the younger son. We feel a deep sense of guilt for our transgressions. When we are Baptized we are made anew and dressed in white garments announcing a disposition towards Christ - of belonging to Christ. We put on, as it were, the garments of Christ. Many of us, upon reflection, find that we have gone very much far afield. That we have squandered our Inheritance. That we have lived as pigs. Nay, less dignified than pigs. A pig is a pig by nature. A pagan man who lives as a pig sets his inherent dignity aside. A Christian man who lives as a pig sets his inherent dignity and the Grace of Baptism aside. The Christian man who does so has truly "set off to a distant country where he squander[s] his inheritance on a life of dissipation." How profane a life I have lived. How far off that "distant country" is. To any who has not seen himself in this parable, it is impossible to explain why it continues to bring tears to worldly men of hardened hearts. St. Augustine's conversion of heart - described in his Confessions intimately explores a real-world example of how far a man will go to separate himself from his father. And what happens when he realizes what he has done in so doing.

3) But this parable is very much about the "Faithful Son" as well. In fact, the faithful may have been better served had it been known as the parable of the Faithful Son. How hard is this son's heart? His long-lost brother has returned. And yet, he is filled with envy and resentment. He sees his father's joy and cannot even bring himself to enter the lodge where the feast is being held. He has stayed while his brother has left. He has done his father's bidding. He has been loyal and responsible. And yet, no fatted calf has been slaughtered for him. Think of the depravity the older son reveals! His heart is laid bare so unable is he to comport himself. He counts his faithfulness as a burden. He wears his obligation to his father as a yoke.

4) Neither son understands the father. Beginning with the younger son. He does not understand how much the father desires him to return. Of his own volition! He sets the younger son's offenses aside so happy is he that his son has returned. He once again places the marks of sonship on his recovered child. Garments, rings, and a feast in his honor. He is reconciled to the father and the father is so thrilled he cannot contain himself. Yet the younger son expected the best outcome to be that of one of his father's servants. That is, he expect more than he deserves. In the father's reaction, we glimpse God's Mercy. The older son also exhibits his poor understanding of his father. He cannot believe his father would welcome back the "troubled" son with such fanfare. He doesn't understand how the father could set aside such intransigence. How can there be no punishment? It is, in the eyes of the older brother, completely and utterly unfair! He accuses his brother to the father, as if the father knows not that the younger son has "swallowed up [his] property with prostitutes". See how hardened his heart has become... "all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends." Wow! The truth is revealed. How dark his mind has become. How deep his envy and resentment. Even still, the father is merciful. Instead of expressing his disappointment in the older son's reaction, he chastises him gently, reminding him, "My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours.But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found."

My brothers and sisters: I urge you during this Lenten Season to contemplate how distant is the distance you have traveled from the Father. If you are anything like me, I see myself in both of these brothers. I know what I deserve, but for the Mercy of God. I know how much I do not know as it relates to the Mercy of the Father. A feast? For me? I am not worthy.

I will say it again for the benefit of all of my brothers and sisters in Christ. We are necessarily Hypocrites! We are to be Fools for Christ! The bar is necessarily high... and perfection will not be ours on this Pilgrim's Road. We will necessarily fall short. End up in the woods. We will be lured away from the path. We will fall in the mud, beaten and bloodied. We will be left for dead. We will be surprised when a strange Samaritan (of all things) picks us up and delivers us from our doom. We are in fact, all of us, in a distant country. We are, in fact, all of us, spending our inheritance on whores. During Lent, we are reminded to identify our faults, our imperfections, our rebellions, our sins, our darkened minds, our injured and hardened hearts... and to orient ourselves toward the Father's Estate.

If you are a Prodigal, say to Him when you arrive, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.'

He will have mercy and say, 'Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast,because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.'

If you are an Obedient, go to your Father and say, "Father forgive me my envy! Forgive me for my hardened heart! I am not worthy to be a claimant to my Inheritance."

He will remind you, 'My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours.'

Then the celebration will begin.