REFLECTION on the Parable of the Prodigal Son

By: Sem. Edilbert B. Concordia

I have not come to call the
righteous but sinners to
repentance.'
-Luke 5:32

The parable of the Prodigal Son seems to be the most quoted of all the
stories in the gospel. Why so? Because most often in our lives, we can relate
to such parable. There are actually three persons in whom we can relate with
the story, obviously, the Father, the eldest son and the youngest son. But
here Im going to focus mainly on the character of the Father.
It was just two weeks after the Pope visited our country and the theme
of his visit focuses on Mercy and Compassion. This is also actually the
overarching theme of the parable of the prodigal son. Oftentimes, we are so
focused with what the joy the world gives us. We sometimes forget that such
joy is temporal and will not last forever. Sometimes were so foolish to realize
that what we are working for so hard will eventually be gone in just a
glimpse.
In the story, the youngest son wanted to take all of his inheritance
from his Father and started to splurge, thinking that he will find fulfillment in
it, but eventually in the end, he was not contented and returned to the arms
of his Father. The youngest son portraits ussinners. Humans are we, prone
to error, imperfections and sin, but there is always our loving Father who
accepts us even though we have fallen many times. Yes, we may be eatenup by the consumeristic attitude the world is offering us, we may be trapped
with the temporal joy which the world brings us, but in the end, we find
ourselves not contented, unfulfilled, and empty.

We then go back to our

Father by repenting sincerely of our sins and let all such emptiness be filled
with such love, mercy and compassion.

This is what the Lord cannot do but to love us up to no end. Unworthy

we are, but in his eyes, we are still His children that have to be loved and
cared by Him. All we need to do is to humble ourselves and return to Him,
who in the very first place has loved us first. Let us start to imitate the
attitude of the Father in the story. It may be hard at the beginning, but with
Gods grace and mercy, we can do it all throughout our lives. Let us spread
the spirit of mercy and compassion!