Are We Prodigal Sons?

By: Rick Hernandez

“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country, where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation." (Luke 15:11-13)

​This is the beginning of the Parable of the Prodigal Son.   The word “prodigal” means to be recklessly wasteful with our resources, spending our riches, talents, and gifts for no benefit. We do not want to be prodigal.
 
I sometimes think of the many gifts that we are given and how we squander that beautiful inheritance and end up depleted. For many of us, it is not until we realize that we are barren from our wastefulness that we remember that it is not meant to be this way. Spiritually, wasting our gifts on our own desires and sins separate us from our Heavenly Father. This is sometimes done consciously and other times unconsciously.
 
In the search for our own desires, we can forsake our dignity as sons and daughters of the Most-High, breaking our relationship with the Father.
 
Yet, the same as the father in the story, God always acknowledges our dignity. He is always waiting for us to return, but to return we must consciously take that first step on the journey back to who God calls us to be.

"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 15:21-24)

We read of the repentance of the son coming from the realization of that which was lost, spent, and wasted. Do we realize this as well? Can we see all that we have been gifted, and all that we have wasted?
 
Like the Prodigal Son in the parable, shouldn’t we also turn back? We repent from our selfishness, and gain humility in truth from our faults… We go back home to our Father, yet so many of us fear that we can’t be forgiven; that we can’t go back; that we can’t live a righteous life again… We must fight that fear from the lies the enemy sends our way. The enemy will tell us that we cannot go back to a life of Grace, and that we cannot be redeemed nor loved again. Who does this liar thinks he is that he can try to keep us from the One Who Loves Us? Let us not believe the lies of the enemy, Our Heavenly Father awaits us, just like the father in the story of the Prodigal Son.

“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.” (Luke 15:20)

When the father sees the son coming, he runs to the son! How much more would our Heavenly Father do for us? God reclaims us when we repent, runs to meet us with open arms, and thus restores our dignity as His sons or daughters.
 
In the story, the father gave the son three things:

• a cloak, which is a direct reference to forgiveness, the covering of protection.
• a ring, which is a direct reference to the restored dignity of the son, and the restoration of the son’s status as an inheritor.
• a pair of sandals, which is a direct reference to obtaining a new purpose, with the capability to perform work in the world.

 
God forgives us. He restores us and gives us a purpose to live for, but He needs to hear and see our repentance.

“Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against You.”  (Luke 15:21)

If we have broken trust with the Father, we would do well to atone. Like the Prodigal Son, we acknowledge our faults and ask forgiveness, and to do that we approach Him who loves us. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is where we go to do this. We approach with humility, love, and hope. Through our sincere repentance and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we are reclaimed and restored. 

'And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”' (Matthew 3:11)

​In my carefree youth, whenever I did something wrong, I doubted my worth and value. This would show up behaviorally as depression and sadness, and it was very rough for me. My parents would notice my struggles and embrace me.  I was lovingly reminded that I was not perfect and that I was not expected to be. I was reminded that we are meant to ask for forgiveness, learn from the experience, and do better next time. This embracing and teaching from them was their love for me in action. It was them claiming me. And is not God’s love for us greater than our parent's love?
 
We learn from our faults and commit to do better. We repent and let ourselves be loved and claimed. Our Father loves us, but it is on us to act as the sons and daughters of God that we are.
 
After we are again restored, we are to live our gratitude. Our very lives are our gift to the Father as an offering of love. 

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." (Jeremiah 31:3)

At every Mass, we can approach the Throne of Glory, Mercy, and Love. Let us humbly approach in our dignity as sons and daughters. Let us imagine ourselves in the river Jordan, soaking wet in our white garments while being presented to the world, our dignity acknowledged as we hear our Divine Father say to us "This is my beloved, in who I am well pleased" and let us stay there for a moment…
 
Let us allow our loving Father to embrace us and let Him bask in the love He has for you, for me, for us... He is claiming us as His sons or daughters. He is doing this for all to see... such is His love for you and me. Our Father is here for US. How will we respond?
 
Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we are your children, your beloved. May we be ever reminded of our dignity as Your very own at every moment of our lives, that we may glorify You in all that we do and wherever we go. Amen.

Rick Hernandez

Rick Hernandez is a commonsense Catholic, Lay Associate of the Blessed Sacrament, and a Director for Elisheba House. He lives in Trinity, Florida, with his wife Ivonne and their children. He also writes for the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament's Daily Eucharistic Reflections and for Catholicmom.com.