The Prodigal Son

   The Gospel of Luke in chapter 15, verses 11 thru 32 recounts the parable of the prodigal son.  It is the story of a selfish young man who was determined to live life on his own terms and suffered greatly for that decision.

   He demanded of his father that he be given the inheritance that would be his.  Once he had the money he left his father’s land and went to a distant country where he spent lavishly and squandered all he had.  When a famine struck he was reduced to near starvation and labored feeding the pigs of a farmer.

   When he finally realized the mistakes that he had made he decided to go back to his father and offer to work for him as a laborer.  He no longer felt worthy to be his son.  However, his father welcomed him with open arms, forgiveness and great love, celebrating his return.

   As a young man I was the prodigal son in many respects.  I showed disrespect for God the Father in my life.  I took the many blessings I had been given and used them to my own purposes rather than God’s. 

   I took the life he gave and spent it selfishly.  My actions were at times shameful and deserving of God’s wrath rather than His love.  I took His gift of free will and used it to serve my will, unconcerned with His plan for me.  I led myself down a path that was sure to cause the destruction of my soul.

   Then God blessed me with a wife who loved me and was a woman of faith.  Through her love and seeing her faith I began to see the mistakes I had made in my life.  Finally, just as the son in the parable I realized that I needed to go home to my Father.

   God welcomed me with open arms.  Full of forgiveness and mercy He washed away my sins in the waters of Baptism.  Through confession and penance He forgives the sins I still commit and gives me strength to help resist Satan and his sinful ways.

   I was and remain unworthy of such a love, but God wants to love me and make me part of His family.  I know that my eternal life was forfeit in my earlier ways and I thank God for giving me the opportunity for eternal life with Him.  Instead of condemning me He gave His only Son for my salvation.

   “Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15: 22-24)