August 29, 2017

THE OTHER PRODIGAL SON

Luke 15:31-32

“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”

Encouraging Words

One of the consistent things that all of us humans do is to look for the happy ending to the stories that unfold in our lives. I am sure that this is part of our being created in the image of God. God has such a deep love for His creation that He too always provides that opportunity for a happy ending. The twist is that He also gives us the ability to choose that ending by giving us free will. The parable of the prodigal son is no different. The younger son takes all of his inher­itance, squanders it, and ends up destitute, He then returns home and finds his father waiting there with open arms and thankful to have him home again. That is a happy ending. But the story does not end there. The older brother throws a fit because he has not been recognized as his brother was. He chooses to not let this story end happily. Isn't this also the story of so many of us? God created us all in His image. Many times we have a friend or a loved one that rejects God and chooses to live a worldly life while we strive to live the life of the good son who stayed home. Then when they realize their errors and sins, they come home to God and we throw a fit because God lets them back into the family. Our resistance sometimes even takes us to the point of rejecting God's wonderful gift of His Son. But God always has other plans and builds His  Church through love. Glory be to God!