Parable Of The Prodigal Son - Reflection/meditation and audio KJV

[WordAloud]

Hi All

This is among my favourite passage of the Bible.

It's hard to say why.

I put my audio recording of the KJV up on YouTube here:

My reflection is taken from my site - page here: Parable Of The Prodigal Son | Parables Of Jesus – Listen To the Bible! | King James Audio Bible | KJV | King James Version

My reflection goes like this:

In the parable of the prodigal son, the story Jesus tells is so homely and familiar to our lives, and to our most basic human and family instincts, that even without the deeper meanings as we interpret the parable, it would be powerfully moving to hear as a tale of estrangement and difficulty followed by forgiveness and reconciliation through love.

Jesus tells this parable because of the accusation of the Pharisees and scribes: the accusation being that Jesus meets and eats with tax collectors and sinners. Christ’s message is clear: he is come to save sinners. Moreover, he expresses his and his Father’s boundless love and forgiveness of us all. Indeed, we should know that when we confess and repent of our sins and return to God, God rejoices to have us with Him once more. God is really overjoyed. This is a powerful message.

And what is more, we are reminded through the parable that, though we sin, we carry in our heart of hearts the true knowledge of our Father’s love for us. We should be true to this knowledge. This is the truth and the knowledge that brings us home.

To consider the career path of the prodigal son, there are key moments to reflect upon here – the meaning of the parable is very clear:

• The prodigal son receives his just portion from his father.
• He goes away from his father and squanders it.
• He realizes just how low he has brought himself, to the point whereby he is truly nothing and would have eaten of the food of unclean animals. No-one in this foreign land gives him anything. His humanity is not recognized.
• He remembers his father.
• He knows he is not worthy to go to his father with any claim, but hopes and trusts that if he goes to his father and acknowledges his sins and his unworthiness, he may at least count as one of his servants.
• He returns to his father.
• And his father doesn’t care about any of that. His son is home again! He runs to greet him and hug him and gives orders to get ready a feast to welcome his son home!
• What joy! And so this is where we are. This is Christ’s welcome message to us. Let’s go home.

It is right that we consider the reaction of the older son to the return of the prodigal. The older son does not seem to have a very good relationship with his father. He has stayed with him all these years, and yet he doesn’t seem to know him. The older son has wanted a feast before now, but with his friends. He is angry with his father. He refuses to enter the house. He demands to know what is happening. He does not seem to be able to understand the love and solicitude of his father, or his father’s joy in both his sons. He does not even refer to his brother as his brother but, to his father, as ‘this thy son’, ‘this son of yours’. He does not seem to understand his father’s magnanimity or to value the family relationship.

The father’s response to the older son is also fitting: the father reaffirms his love for his elder son, which is in no way lessened by the feast he provides upon the return of the prodigal. The father does not abandon the older son.

Through this parable, Jesus teaches us that God’s generosity is boundless. There is no need, indeed no room, for envy or anger. God’s love and bounty are so great that when we return to him, there is more than enough for us all. This can be a feast for all. Sectarian divisions need no longer apply. We are all invited.