The Parable of the Prodigal Son
No fixed feast day in the calendar
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A father runs with open arms to welcome home his runaway son: God is a Father rich in mercy
What is this parable?
The Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling because Jesus welcomed sinners and ate with them (cf. Lk 15:1-2). So the Lord told three parables about things that were lost and then found: the lost sheep, the lost coin and the prodigal son. This is the third, the longest and most moving of them.
The story
A man had two sons. The younger son asked for his share of the inheritance, then went off to a distant country, lived wildly and wasted it all. When a famine came, he had to look after pigs, and he was so hungry that he longed to eat the pods the pigs were eating (cf. Lk 15:11-16). He came to his senses and decided to go home and ask his father to take him on as a hired worker.
While he was still far away, his father saw him and ran out to hug and kiss him. He told the servants to bring the finest robe, a ring and sandals for his son, and to prepare a feast to celebrate: “because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.” (Lk 15:24).
The older son came back from working in the fields and heard the music and dancing. When he asked what was happening and learned that his brother had come home and their father was holding a feast, he became angry and refused to go into the house (cf. Lk 15:25-28). The father came out to plead with him and said: “My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours.” (Lk 15:31).
What does Jesus want to teach you?
The father in the parable is a picture of God. He does not wait until his son has finished saying sorry before forgiving him, but runs out to meet him first. No sin is bigger than God’s mercy. The Lord also invites those who are already in the house, like the older brother, to be glad when someone else comes home, instead of being jealous.
A lesson for you
- When you do something wrong, do not hide from God; say sorry from your heart and go to confession.
- Forgive your brothers, sisters and friends when they are sorry, the way the father forgave.
- Be glad when a friend comes back to God, and do not bring up their old mistakes.
Identifying marks
- A white-haired, bearded father hurrying out with his arms wide open: God is a Father who is always waiting and runs out to welcome the sinner coming home.
- The son kneeling on the road, in torn clothes and barefoot: someone who has gone far from God and now comes to his senses and humbly comes back to say sorry.
- A servant bringing out a red robe trimmed with gold: God not only forgives but also gives us back our dignity as his children (cf. Lk 15:22).
- Pigs grazing in the distance: a reminder of the days when the son had to look after pigs, hungry and miserable in a foreign land, after leaving his father’s house (cf. Lk 15:15-16).
- A house with its lights on and a warm sunset: the Father’s house is always open; every homecoming is a day of joy.
The text on this page is the card in the Catholic Information app, word for word.
Compiled by i-Catholic · About