The Love of the Father, and the Confession of the Prodigal

The Love of the Father, and the Confession of the Prodigal

Sermon by Fr Ted Toppses

3-3-2013 Sunday of the Prodigal Son

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…

It is of no doubt that as we approach Great Lent the fathers of the Church made sure we would have fixed in our hearts the lesson of the return of the prodigal son.  It is a wonderful thing that we have come to know that God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit loves us more than we can even begin to comprehend.  We feel this profound love of God at times and yet we live in the fallen world.  God’s love for us is something truly profound and akin to the love a parent has for their child.  Yet God’s love is far more than that of an earthly parent.  Christ in today’s Gospel lesson illustrated this Divine Love and our need to embrace this love by turning from sin through the parable of the prodigal son. Repentance and confession allow our souls to return to the Father who loves us and is always waiting for our return so He will shower us with His Abundant Grace.

Today’s Gospel lesson is from St. Luke 15:11-32

The Gospel Begins…

The Lord said this parable: "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living.

Not that long ago we heard the Gospel of the parable of the Talents and learned that it is critical in our life not to waste what God has given us.  To depart from God is sin and this represents our fallen desire to satisfy the sinful passions and desires.  Many are given great gifts from God and squander them on earthly pleasure and glory.

The Gospel Continues…

And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything.

St. Gregory Palamas says that the swine are a reference to the filth of sin that was partaken by the prodigal.

We should remember that pigs or pork is restricted under Judaic law.   It is no doubt that Christ uses this reference to show the utter depravity that can result when a person embraces sin seeking to satisfy sinful fallen desires. 

People are often fooled by a desire for earthly pleasure because as human beings made in the likeness and image of God we cannot be truly satisfied by the pleasures of this earthly worldly life.   If we try to  satisfy the sinful desires in us,  we will soon be in want again having clung to what will eventually become dust.  The true satisfaction and fulfillment of people comes from Christ our Lord.

The Gospel continues…

But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.' And he arose and came to his father.

This is a miracle showing that in utter depravity we can come to our senses and return to God our Father who loves us.  Humility is a critical ingredient in repentance and confession.  In the prodigal’s return to Christ he was willing to give up all the rights of being a child and simply be God’s servant.  He was going to his humble confession before our Heavenly Father. 

The Gospel continues….

But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry.

The father had been looking on from afar and waited patiently for his son’s return.  He waited knowing the amazing benefits of sincere and humble repentance. Seeing his son he knew his heart and ran to him.  He heard the son’s confession when the son said to the father:  'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'  What did the father say, how was his love for his son expressed after the prodigal’s repentance and confession?  He immediately showered him with undeserved gifts and graces due to the prodigal’s sincere humble repentance and confession.

The Gospel continues…

 Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"

We are lost and yet God has found us.  We have sinned and we humble ourselves in confession.  We confess, and God showers us with His grace.  The prodigal son was lost and dead and the older brother sees the unfairness of God’s mercy and sinned by not rejoicing in the return of his brother to God.  We must love each other as God loves us and rejoice for all people’s return to God by understanding this does not take away from the gifts we have, but even more blesses by rejoicing in the salvation of the ones we must always remember to love.

Amen.