Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Matins: Luke 24:36-53

As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marvelling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them. Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God. 

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Brethren, “all things are lawful for me”, but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me”, but I will not be enslaved by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 

Luke 15:11-32

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 property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, 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. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt 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 fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. Now his older 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 these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

From the Bulletin of Spiritual Edification (No. 1273)

(Taken from Meditations for Great Lent: Reflections on the Triodion) 

Open to me, O Giver of Life, the gates of repentance: for early in the morning my spirit seeks Your holy temple, bearing a temple of the body all defiled. But in Your compassion cleanse it by Your loving-kindness and Your mercy.

If there is one central theme to Lent, it is without doubt repentance. The season of the Triodion begins with the above hymn, which is frequently repeated in the period leading up to Lent. We are thus reminded that the purpose of Lent is to return to God, not simply to change our diet. 

But the theme of repentance—of returning to God—is made explicit on the second Sunday of the Triodion—the Sunday of the Prodigal Son.

The hymns of the Triodion call Christians to identify with the prodigal, reminding us that we have squandered the gifts and opportunities God has given us on our own selfish desires. But all too often, Christians forget that this parable is not only one of repentance, but also one of forgiveness. There are two other key characters in the story: the compassionate father, a symbol of God the Father, whose readiness to forgive we are called to imitate; and the unforgiving brother, whose cold-heartedness we are warned to avoid. 

The fatted calf that is slain for the prodigal represents Christ. We are thus reminded that Christ came into the world to save sinners. “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Luke 5:32). During Lent, we must not be like the unforgiving brother, who observed all the father’s rules, but lacked compassion. Thus, we are not to observe the rules of Lenten fasting with coldness towards our fellow human beings who may not be fasting; rather, we are to be compassionate and welcoming to our brothers and sisters in Christ, as was the compassionate father. True repentance is the fruit of humility. When we are humble, we judge ourselves and not others… 

The spiritual fathers of the Church teach us that we are to be hard on ourselves and easy on others. This is true humility; this is true repentance. We are invited to master this humility and repentance during Lent. Fast as rigorously as you can, but do not demand or expect it of others. If indeed we are all prodigals who have squandered the gifts God has given us, let us take further care not to squander the spiritual gift of Lent, which is an invitation and a means to return to God in humility and repentance.