Luke 15:25-32
Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.
In this parable of the prodigal son, Jesus wasn't just talking about a prodigal son, but two of them. One is the prodigal son at home, and the other is one who left home. The real prodigal son is not the younger son, who all along understood the heart of the father, and thus he returned to his father's side. The real prodigal son is actually the elder son; although he was dedicated to working at home, in his heart he's always had some pride and self-righteousness. Therefore, when he witnessed how his father welcomed his younger brother extravagantly, the frustration and hatred inside him blew up. His father, however, reminded him that "this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." Over all these years, he lived in hatred and jealousy for his younger brother, feeling that he doesn't deserve any of father's property; he hated his father for favoring the younger son, not loving him but loving his younger brother. The reality is that he couldn't accept his father giving them equal amount of love, because he felt he should receive more, but he forgot the fact that father already gave him the best of everything. He was also self-righteous, thinking that he's the most honorable and reasonable. Isn't that how we often find ourselves? St. Augustine said that a heart that has darkness inside is a heart that is far away. If you have never experience the love of God that is eternally patient and kind, you will never be able to have the same kind of love with patience and kindness towards people around you.
In this parable, both the elder and younger sons knew that father loved them, but on the younger experience father's eternal love of patience and kindness. May God help us to turn back to
Him; unless we first experience God's love, we won't be able to use such love to love those around us.
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