Some great spiritual masters suggest that all we ever need to know about God is captured wonderfully in the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). Through the years, this parable has become a central theme in my personal prayer life and in my priesthood. So much so that my brand has become “The Prodigal Father.” You can see everything that I’m working on at TheProdigalFather.org
What I have come to realize is that the key figure in the parable is not so much the prodigal son, but the father. I have also come to realize that the father outdoes the son in being prodigal. Let me explain.
The original meaning of the word prodigal comes from the Latin Prodigus which means “lavish.” Here are more uses to help us define it:
prod·i·gal ˈprädəɡəl/ (adjective) (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2016)
1. spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant
2. having or giving something on a lavish scale
3. a person who spends money in a recklessly extravagant way.
We normally associate prodigal with the son, and rightfully so; however, something pretty amazing happens if we associate this word with the father and his grace. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, we hear the son demand: “Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me” (Luke15:12). And, what does the father do? He divides the property between his two sons. He almost recklessly and wastefully gives his sons their inheritance.
We all know the story of how the prodigal son goes on to waste everything until he comes to his senses and realizes how good he had it. Now watch how, once more, the father gives everything freely to his son: “So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began” (Luke 15:11-32).
The celebration is definitely on a LAVISH scale! As mentioned previously, the word prodigal comes from the Latin word for “lavish”:
lav·ish ˈlaviSH/ (adjective) (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2016)
1. sumptuously rich, elaborate, or luxurious. “a lavish banquet” – synonyms: sumptuous, luxurious, costly, expensive, opulent, grand, splendid, rich, fancy, posh; ”lavish parties”
2. (of a person) very generous or extravagant. “he was lavish with his hospitality” – synonyms: generous, liberal, bountiful, openhanded, unstinting, unsparing, free, munificent, extravagant, prodigal; “lavish hospitality” or given in profusion.
3. “lavish praise” – synonyms: abundant, copious, plentiful, liberal, prolific, generous, plenteous; “lavish amounts of champagne.”
4. bestow something in generous or extravagant quantities upon – synonyms: give freely to, spend generously on, bestow on, heap on, shower with, cover something thickly or liberally; “she lavished our son with kisses.”
Can’t we see that it is the father who is prodigal? It is the father who lavishes his grace on both of his sons. The father lavishes his son with love as he runs to this lost son, embraces him and kisses him.
He also goes out to the older brother who is angry and upset. He pleads with him: “My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found” (Luke 15:31-32). These astounding words also describe God the Father’s love for us and the way that He so lavishly, generously, and prodigally offers His Grace to all of us, His children.
Realize that no matter which son you are, if you are the prodigal son or the good son, if you are the son in the embrace or the son standing outside the celebration, if you have messed up and wasted God’s grace or if you have been renewed. He is your Father.
All you need to do is take one step towards Him and The Father will run to you, embrace you, kiss you, and lavish you with His love.
If you’ve been away from the Father’s love, if you’ve been away from the church or the Sacraments or prayer… all it takes is one step towards Him and The Prodigal Father will lavish you with His grace, tenderness, and unconditional love.
If you have been away from the Church or the Sacraments, this one step could be stepping into the confessional and experiencing His unconditional love. (http://homilies.theprodigalfather.org/confession/)
St. Gabriel
Communal Penance Service
Monday, September 19th at 7 pm.
It could be taking a step towards Him to receive Communion.
It could be taking a step into Church and spending time before Him in Eucharistic Adoration.
It could be taking a step towards Him in prayer. (Try Examen or Pray40Days http://homilies.theprodigalfather.org/)
Just take one step towards God and you will discover how much you are loved.
God, the Father, is so generous, so loving, so unsparing, so lavish, so extravagant, so bountiful, so open-handed, so prolific, so giving without counting the cost, that we can truly call Him The Prodigal Father.
