God's Merciful Love and the Lost Son (or the Prodigal Son [One and the Same])

What better time than Lent for us to take a moment to reflect on perhaps one of the most well-known of Christ's parables: the parable of the lost son (also known as the parable of the prodigal son). This parable, which appears in Luke 15:11-32, follows the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7) and the parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10). It would be worthwhile for you to take a moment to review these three parables, reading each passage slowly and attentively: Luke 15.

For the growing Christian (and, ideally, we are constantly growing closer to the Lord, perhaps particularly during the Lenten season), the Lord’s point with the parable of the lost son is readily evident: we, representing that son, are called to repentance and conversion of heart. Yet, we must also recall how deeply God wants us to accept his forgiveness and his mercy, especially in the midst of our celebration of what the Holy Father has deemed the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy (December 8, 2015 – November 20, 2016). The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops also maintains numerous resources for the Year of Mercy.

It is imperative that, especially when reflecting on the parable of the lost son, we recall that the term “prodigal” should not be misconstrued as meaning “lost,” which is a common misconception; according to Merriam-Webster's definition, “prodigal” actually signifies “carelessly and foolishly spending money, time, etc.” If we take into account how the figure whom the Lord posits in this parable is considered both lost and wasteful, we are able to more effectively appreciate the depth of God’s merciful love for us: he rejoices when we are encountered anew, and calls us to treat that mercy bestowed upon us as a treasure that should not be taken for granted, let alone disregarded. Thus, mercy is necessarily accompanied by our ongoing conversion and contrition.

Ultimately, to be frank, mercy is useless without repentance. And God calls us to repentance not for its own sake, but because he loves us. We must understand that the Lord’s love for us is a prime manifestation of truth, for “whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:8). As such, being granted mercy, which is imbued with God’s love, necessitates proclaiming the divine truth that facilitated that mercy in the first place.

As a clarifying reminder from Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia, from within his weekly column dated October 15, 2015, titled Mercy, Truth and Belonging to Jesus Christ, “The issue of truth is not ultimately about a code of conduct or a set of creedal affirmations, though these things are clearly important. Truth in a Christian life is about a relationship with Jesus Christ, founded in the person of the Son of God, and animated by a willingness to do whatever he asks from those who wish to follow him.” Thus, we must acknowledge and value the Lord’s mercy extended to us, so that we can in turn be merciful to our brethren, as exemplified by the spiritual works of mercy and the corporal works of mercy. Pope Francis affirmed this, as reported by the Catholic News Agency, when he reminded us that “God’s mercy transforms human hearts; it enables us, through the experience of a faithful love, to become merciful in turn.”

This Lent, as well as throughout the year, let us recall that we are all that “son” from the Lord’s parable. We have been both lost and prodigal, to some degree, within our lives, and no matter our circumstances, God calls us back to himself. However, we should not be satisfied with striving to draw near to him if we are not likewise endeavoring to share the Gospel with others as well. Our role is to strive to remain near to the Lord and to appreciate the gift of his mercy toward us, imparting it to others subsequently, all the while proclaiming the truth of his love and its eternal consequences in the process. After all, it is only when we are in the Lord’s good graces – no matter how far we have strayed – that we thus “come to life again” (Luke 15:24).

God bless you and your family this Lent, as we prepare to celebrate he who gave his life for ours, and rose to new life in order to offer us salvation through his merciful love.