Fourth Sunday of Lent-C
We are now well into Lent, and the fourth Sunday offers the recognizable parable of the prodigal son. The parable was directed at the self-righteous Pharisees, who complained that Jesus would spend his time with sinners, even eating with them. They failed to realize they sinned as much as the ones they looked down on.
The parable begins with two sons living with their father, and it appears they live a comfortable life. The younger, entitled son shocked us by asking for his inheritance before his father passed away. “Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.” So, the father divided his estate, and the young son left to live a life of debauchery.
This is a classic case of the “grass is greener on the other side of the fence.” The young son soon learned after he had spent his money. He was forced to take up residence with swine. His dignity was gone, and he yearned to eat the food left by the beasts. Coming to his senses, he realized his father’s servants, low on the social scale, had it better than he did. He thought to himself, “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.”
Upon his return home, his father caught sight of him and, filled with compassion, rushed out to meet his son, kissing him. The younger son vocalized to his father what he had previously thought, admitting that his actions were not compatible with being his son. In response, his father bestowed upon him all the signs of sonship, including sandals, a robe, and a ring. He then orders the help to slaughter the fattened calf in preparation for a feast.
The music and exuberance echoed across the landscape and reached the ears of the older son. When a servant informed the older son that his brother had returned and was welcomed with such jubilance, he became angry.
He then confronted his father and told him he obeyed his orders, unlike his brother. He claimed he was never given a party as grand, but his brother did. In response, the father told him everything he had was his, and the reason for joy was his younger son was dead and now has come to life.
Plenty of people, upon hearing the parable again, side with the older son. How unfair it is that the younger son, who blatantly disregarded the relationship he had with his father, was treated as if he were the older son who did not squander the father’s wealth and stayed with him. On the surface, the older son has a point. However, upon closer examination, a more profound meaning emerges.
Without a doubt, the younger son was a jerk and acted contrary to the role of a son. The older son seemed to be all the father could ask for. When the younger son came to his senses, he realized how detrimental his actions had been and how his choices led him down a path to his death; he was, after all, dying of hunger. It doesn’t matter much whether a person dies of hunger or in other ways. He is still dying. The younger son realized this fact, and his self-image was less than that of a servant. He was willing to accept the truth, but he knew his only way of being saved from his wretched existence was to return to his father in a state of repentance. His heart had changed, and his inner disposition became transparent. He knew who he had become and wished for a different way. He had learned the consequences of the sins of the flesh, which had seemed alluring to him at first, only to discover that they were the empty promises of the devil.
Now, let’s examine the older son. Like the Pharisees, he is self-righteous in pointing out to his father how well he had obeyed all that his father asked him to do. Sons should abide by their father’s wishes, but servants do the same. There is no great virtue in this, as it aligns with the obligation of the fifth commandment to honor one’s father and mother. Just obeying doesn’t mean there is a proper father-son relationship. Everyone is called to loving relationships, not just obedient ones.
The contrast between the sons is one of two sinful men, one of them dissipating his money with prostitutes while the other sinned in his spirit. The older one reminded his father that he had never offered such a feast before, implying that he was resentful of his father because he thought he deserved a feast for his obedience. The older son did not have a loving relationship with his father, but rather one that could be construed as a contractual arrangement or a quid pro quo. I agree to do this, and you give me that. God does not operate on the principle of quid pro quo; rather, His love and generosity far surpass anything we can bring to the exchange.
The older son’s transgressions didn’t end there. His anger with his brother is a spiritual sin and could be construed as his inheritance being used for the one who already spent his. Greed and his lack of generosity are apparent, for he has forgotten that his inheritance is a gift and he has no special right to what the father had.
Most egregious, however, is how hardened the older son had become. No longer was his heart softened to share in the joy of others, for his selfishness had closed his eyes to their needs and focused only on his own wants. We can infer that he likely had a strained relationship with both his father and brother. Some reciprocity characterizes healthy relationships, and if another whom you claim to love has been brought back to life, your joy should emerge.
The older son’s response surfaces another spiritual sin. His anger with both his father and brother could turn into resentment against them. The spiritual atrophy of the heart can turn it into hardness and, if left unattended, can only lead to a place where repentance becomes extremely difficult. Without realizing the need for repentance, the Father can do nothing to help you.
The parable does not tell us whether the older brother came to his senses, leaving us to ponder whether he did. One thing that is not in question is that the father will never turn away a person who has repented of their past sins, whether physical or spiritual. The parable serves as a way for us to understand that the heavenly Father always welcomes His people when they return to Him, seeking salvation from their sins.
Isn’t this reason, after all, for Lent?