Daily Reflections - March 10,2013

THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON

 

It is a little difficult to continue to write on this parable. It is so well-known and I have been writing these reflections for Shepherd’s Voice for 16 years now.

It is important that we do not reduce the story to a single message. There are many aspects to this story, depending on which person we wish to focus on and follow. Take the elder son, for example. We do not usually give his character much attention, but there is an important lesson to learn from him. He is both unwilling to accept his younger brother back and he also refuses to respond to the pleas of his father to change his attitude. The older brother has been wronged by the younger one, but is that a reason not to forgive? There will always be times when we wrong others, and others do us wrong, but it does not matter what is done. Forgiveness is always the only answer to the problem. There may be a need for some sort of restitution as well, but the primary work of healing is the choice to forgive.

We should never lose respect for our parents even when we disagree, rightly or wrongly, with the decisions they make. Whether or not we follow the desires of our parents is up to us, but there are some things that they are free to have an opinion on. But when we are adults, it is up to us to make the decision, and for them to respect our decisions. Of course, this is assuming that the decisions are not immoral, either theirs or ours.

I am sure that we can all place ourselves in the situation of the elder son. I wonder what our responses through life would be when confronted with these challenges? It is easy to be judgmental when the example is written on a page; it is much more difficult to live out the principles we know are a part of our Christian calling and responsibility. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How many times have you failed to forgive those who have sinned against you? Can you still do anything to right these wrongs?

 

Holy Spirit, help me learn how to forgive others in the way that God has forgiven all my sins.