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In today’s Gospel selection from St. Luke (15: 1-32), we hear three “lost-and-found” type of parables of Jesus: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son.
Definitely, one of my favorite lost-and-found parables is the last one, the Parable of the Prodigal Son (15: 11-32).
In this story, the younger of two sons asks his father for his inheritance early. When he receives it, he goes to a distant land and squanders all his money. In that land, a great famine came, and the younger son was so poor that he hired himself out as a tender of swine.
The younger son reflected on what a terrible mistake he had made, so he decided to go back to his father and beg to be allowed to treated as a hired worker. He even made up a little speech in his head to say to his father.
But when he was walking along the road to his father’s house, the father saw his wayward son and was thrilled beyond words. When the son got to the father, the father hugged his son and covered him with kisses. Only then did the son say he was sorry. The father, though, hardly heard the son’s speech, for he was too busy planning a huge “Welcome Home!” party for his son.
In the parable, the father represents God, and the prodigal son represents all of us, for all of us make mistakes in this life. Our mistakes do not destroy God’s love for us, however, for God is love. What a comforting thought that is!
But there is something else in this story that is most often overlooked by preachers, and it is the older son and his reaction upon learning his younger, wayward brother is treated with such joy upon returning home. He reflected that he always served his father faithfully, and yet his father never killed the fattened calf to throw a party for him and his friends, but that is what he is doing for the younger son who made a mess out of his inheritance.
The father tried to soothe the feelings of the older son, reminding him that everything the father has belongs to the son also.
This last part of the story is so very important for everyone to hear, for often we go through life criticizing others and pointing out their faults, but we often forget to give complements when they are deserved. Give compliments when you can, for they can lift up another’s spirits when they need it most.
