THE ELDEST SON
Saturday in the 2nd Week of Lent
Lk 15:1-3.11-32
The Gospel today, The Parable of the Prodigal Son, is a gem among all the parables of Jesus. Many commentaries have already been written and homilies preached about this parable. Let us focus on only one point in our reflection.
Very often, we easily identify our selves with the prodigal son, the youngest of the father in the parable. But many times, we are also the elder son who refused to go inside the house and celebrate with his father.
The elder son, at the height of his fury, revealed to his father the reason of his refusal: “All this years, I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property – he and his women – you kill the calf we had been fattening.” What a revelation! All the while, without leaving his father’s side, this man was a son the father really never had. He did not consider himself a son, but a slave! And while obedient to his father, this eldest son actually moved about in his shackles not in loving freedom. Thus, he could not even call “this son of yours” as “this brother of mine” because he was a slave as far as his view of himself was concerned. What a pity! What a loser he was!
In the father’s house, there are no slaves; only children. “My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it is only right we should celebrate and rejoice because your brother was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found,” the father said, hoping that his eldest would remember his rightful place in the house. The eldest was not a slave, but a son!
Too sad, for the father because he lost both his sons: the youngest when it went away, the eldest even while remaining by the father’s side. But the youngest has returned already while the eldest has not yet.
Could we be the eldest son?
Lk 15:1-3.11-32
The Gospel today, The Parable of the Prodigal Son, is a gem among all the parables of Jesus. Many commentaries have already been written and homilies preached about this parable. Let us focus on only one point in our reflection.
Very often, we easily identify our selves with the prodigal son, the youngest of the father in the parable. But many times, we are also the elder son who refused to go inside the house and celebrate with his father.
The elder son, at the height of his fury, revealed to his father the reason of his refusal: “All this years, I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property – he and his women – you kill the calf we had been fattening.” What a revelation! All the while, without leaving his father’s side, this man was a son the father really never had. He did not consider himself a son, but a slave! And while obedient to his father, this eldest son actually moved about in his shackles not in loving freedom. Thus, he could not even call “this son of yours” as “this brother of mine” because he was a slave as far as his view of himself was concerned. What a pity! What a loser he was!
In the father’s house, there are no slaves; only children. “My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it is only right we should celebrate and rejoice because your brother was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found,” the father said, hoping that his eldest would remember his rightful place in the house. The eldest was not a slave, but a son!
Too sad, for the father because he lost both his sons: the youngest when it went away, the eldest even while remaining by the father’s side. But the youngest has returned already while the eldest has not yet.
Could we be the eldest son?
posted by Fr. Bobby @ 4:00 PM
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