As we read the Holy Gospel, we become acquainted with the life of Jesus Christ on earth. In his parables, he reveals to us the secrets of the universe and teaches the main thing - gaining spiritual wealth and faith in God. The Parable of the Prodigal Son depicts the Lord's indescribable mercy to all sinful people who sincerely and deeply repented of their sins and turned to him for help and protection. The Orthodox Church Calendar specifically marks the Prodigal Son Week, which is one of the four preparatory periods for Lent.
The parable of the prodigal son. Text
The father had two sons. Once, the youngest son asked him for a part of his estate. Father did not resist and gave everything that was due to him. A few days later, the youngest son, taking his part of the inheritance, went to distant lands. Completely not caring about tomorrow, he began to live lecherously and, as the people say, on a “big foot”. Acting in such a stupid way, he very quickly squandered all his wealth, and when famine fell in the city, he became very much in need of food.
In order to somehow live, he got a job with one of the local residents and began to feed his pigs. This guy was glad to eat horns intended for pigs, but no one allowed him. Completely exhausted by hunger and poverty, he suddenly remembered his father and the fact that he had all the mercenaries eating bread, but his own son would soon die of hunger.
Meeting father
Further, the “Parable of the Prodigal Son” says that when the son saw his father, he immediately fell on his neck, began to kiss him. And then he prayed that he was not worthy to be called his son and that he was sinful before him and Heaven. And then he asked to accept him as an employee. The father took pity on his son, ordered to bring him the best clothes, shoes and put a ring on him. Then he decided to stab the calf and have fun, as he was very glad that his son did not disappear, but was found alive and healthy.
Eldest son
At the same time, the eldest son was returning from field work. When he approached the house, he heard glee, singing and was very surprised at this. He was very angry to find out the reason for these festivities. When the father called him to the table, the eldest son expressed his resentment to him, because for so many years of faithful service he never even stabbed a kid for him to have fun with his friends. And here the father did not spare the fattened calf for the one who had skipped all his inheritance with harlots and returned with nothing. His father reassured him and said: "You are always with me, and everything mine is yours, and now we all need to rejoice that your younger brother was found safe and sound."
Parable of the Prodigal Son: Interpretation
This parable talks about sin, repentance, and what God's attitude toward man can be. All the troubles of the youngest son began with the fact that he immediately demanded that he belonged by right. All this is equal to how people relate to the gifts of God from a practical point of view. That is, give me now everything that I want, but I refuse what I can get in the future. This is the greatest sin of a mad man who pays for quick and momentary pleasure by refusing great future benefits, which he initially does not care about at all.
The question naturally arises as to why the young man wanted to get his share. And all because he was burdened by the custody of his father, and he wanted freedom. That is what most modern young people are doing now. Because of all kinds of means of influence, they decided that if they did not break the bonds of God now, they would not be tied to the feet and hands with the bonds of alluring and voluptuous forbidden desires and lusts. This is how apostasy from God occurs. People begin to consider themselves gods and think that they understand well where good and evil. This is precisely what the Parable of the Prodigal Son warns. The point is that people want to do only what they please, and do not want to live according to God's commandments.
Misconception of the views of the youngest son
The well-known gospel “Parable of the Prodigal Son” tells of how the youngest son wants to move away from his father’s gaze and supervision, he does not like it because he restricts him in behavior and spending. The young guy is proud of himself, his arrogance knows no bounds. He believes that he knows better than his father how to manage affairs, and hopes to soon become a more outstanding personality than he. All this suggests that human pride, especially in youth, is a powerful destructive force.
However, the meekness and kindness of the father to his youngest son amaze and delight here. He immediately gave everything to his son. Unlike his younger brother, the elder was a more intelligent person; on the contrary, he wished that his father retained part of his power. For this, the eldest son hears from his father very wise words that all that he owns will eventually become his.
Thus, having received his inheritance, the youngest son goes far from his native home, and then he squanders it and becomes a beggar. It is such a spiritual state that persecutes a person who has fallen away from God. One who voluntarily goes to sin, wastes the gifts of God - his mind and spiritual strength, which should serve people and God. Thus, the soul passes into the power of the devil, becomes a hostage to the world and the flesh, begins to live promiscuously and squanders its wealth.
Retribution for sin
The youngest son was sent by an evil lord to graze not even sheep, but champing pigs. Thus, in the power of the devil to send his slave to satisfy the lusts of a fallen nature. The impoverished youngest son was glad to eat the horns that the pigs ate, but this food was not for humans. Sin is a state of eternal gluttony, in which it is impossible to get relief from anything in the world. It is not necessary to appeal to the world, it has only what can poison the soul, but not what nourishes it.
“The Parable of the Prodigal Son” also indicates that the Lord generously comforts those who ultimately come to deep repentance and realization of their sinful lives. The Lord has longsuffering and mercy for every person, He is indulgent to sins, because he sees farther and deeper. A man should answer Him only with humble gratitude and love.
The “Parable of the Prodigal Son” will be especially useful for children, since they are just beginning to know the world in all its manifestations and must be prepared for any temptations so as not to become dependent on sin and always live in peace with God.