Sunday Reflections

A Free and Gracious Gift

Today’s gospel is a parable about the Father’s enduring love (for both the younger and the elder sons). The Father will not give up, he continues to wait, to hope for his son’s return (long after others will have given up).

The context for the parable is that the scribes and Pharisees are grumbling about the fact that Jesus is eating with tax collectors and sinners. Instead of rejoicing that these “lost” sons have returned, they grumble and are resentful like the elder son in the parable.

We are told that the Father sees him when he is “a long way off.” He is waiting and hoping for his son’s return. He has never given up on him. The Father is filled with compassion. He does not wait for the son to come groveling on his knees with his rehearsed speech. Instead the father runs to him! He cuts off the rehearsed speech! He dresses his son in the finest clothes! He calls for a celebration!

What is the lesson for us? If we think that we have “earned” God’s love, we will be angry if others receive it without work!  This is what happened with the scribes and the pharisees. They thought that by following the Law perfectly, they deserved God’s love and acceptance. But it is a free gift! God’s love is never something that we deserve or can earn…it is a free gift. If we see it as something undeserved and gracious from God, we will rejoice when we receive it and we will rejoice when others receive it.