'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 (Lk. 15:11-24).'
The younger son insults his father by asking for his share of the inheritance he would receive at his father’s death and the father instead of being angry gave him his share. The son sold the property and spent the money in Gentile territory. The father’s behavior is not what would be expected in that time and context. The son, now penniless, hired himself out tending pigs. In Greek and Roman pagan worship the pig was the most frequently sacrificed animal. Pigs were tended only by pagans so Luke’s audience would have understood that the Jewish son had adopted Gentile ways. The son acknowledged his sin and returned to his father expecting to be treated as an outcast, like a servant. The father running to his son is out of character for a man in his position. The compassion and complete forgiveness of the father is demonstrated by the ceremonial robe, a signet ring and shoes, which were not worn by those in servitude. Meat was only eaten on special occasions and that large amount of meat meant that the whole community would participate in the celebration. The lost and found theme is found often in the Gospels as Jesus seeks to reconcile the lost with his Father.
Merciful Father, through your immense love and infinite compassion for us we are assured your forgiveness if we return to you with contrite and repentant hearts. Renew our spirits within us so that, even though we lost our original inheritance of grace and original justice by the fall, our minds and hearts may be converted and every grace restored. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Expanded Edition, Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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