Our gospel reading today is set in the context of the critics of Jesus muttering that he is associating with people whom the authorities consider less than acceptable, namely “tax collectors and sinners”.
The former were unpopular as they were regarded as collaborators with the Roman occupiers, and anyone who was not observing the proper religious customs was deemed to be a “sinner”. This did not mean that the person concerned was particularly immoral but simply that, for some reason or other, they were not fulfilling the requirements of the Law. Yet these are the people who are responding positively to Jesus and his message. Jesus shares food with them, a clear signal in that culture that they are welcomed and accepted by him and, by implication, by God. His critics understand the significance of his actions and that is what infuriates them.
Jesus uses the parable of the lost son to illustrate the meaning of his action and of his message. A better title for this well-beloved story would be “The Prodigal Father”. The word “prodigal” is not common and many people think that it means repentant or regretful, but in fact the basic meaning is wasteful. It is not the irresponsible young man who is the centre of the story; rather, it is the anxious parent who has been looking out for his return, who casts aside his own dignity to rush to meet him, who won’t listen to any words of apology, who throws an extravagant party to welcome him home. Jesus tells us that this is God’s attitude towards those who have made a mess of their lives, and that all that God can say is “Welcome home!”
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REFLECT
The parables are traps: we are told a story and invited to make a judgement. Then Jesus says, “That’s all very well, but have you thought about it from this point of view?” Many of us may sympathise with the elder brother, who has kept all the rules, obeyed his father and feels aggrieved at the welcome extended to his errant sibling on the latter’s return.
What emerges from the dialogue between the father and the elder son is that there is little affection on the part of the son: he won’t go into the house where the welcome party is taking place; he talks about “slaving” for his father and never disobeying him; he refers to the other young man as “this son of yours” rather than “my brother”. So all that his faithful observance has done is to turn him into an embittered person, at odds with everyone else.
We note that the story is left unfinished. The father pleads with him to change his mind and attitude. Whether he does or not is left up to the reader. Each of us is invited to finish the narrative for ourselves. But the real question which Jesus is asking is “What would you do?” This is part of our Lenten challenge.
learn
- Jesus’ critics are usually members of the religious establishment.
- Tax collectors were unpopular as they were regarded as collaborators with the occupying Roman authorities.
- The term “sinners” covered anyone who did not, or could not, observe the Law properly: it did not necessarily imply serious moral failings.
do
Examine your conscience about your Lenten resolution: does your penance help you to feel closer to God and make you more aware of God’s presence?