Return of the Prodigal Son
The Master Jesus tells a story of the "Lost Son"
“There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’
So he divided his property between them.
Not long after that, the younger son set off for a distant country and there he squandered his wealth in wild living.
After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“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.’”
So who are we? Which one of these characters (the Father, the Lost Son or the Older Son) do we feel best describe how we think? How we behave? I believe we are all three. At any given time we are given the opportunity to come back...to return HOME...to surrender...to accept....to hit that bottom but find freedom in a real change and transformation of the heart.
I know we are all given the opportunity to forgive unconditionally and radically...even when we are RIGHT. And lastly this parable reminds us that we can either live in resentment or live in love.
Each of these characters reside within us and they each remind me of the three gunas spoken of in the Bhagavad Gita. The prodigal son is Tamas or Tamasic behavior ("get over...squanderer....lazy").
The older brother is Raj or Rajasic behavior (righteous, eager, ambitious, often ego driven).
The Father represents Satwa (purity of heart and unconditional love).
Who do we strive to be?
Join us this Sunday January 30th for more on this ...
@ 630PM
840 East Oakland Park Blvd Suite 102
Blessings!
Rev.G.
