Prodigals

His actions reflected those of the biblical prodigal son as recorded in the gospel of Luke, except, in this story, he didn’t have an inheritance to take with him, which exacted a hateful response to the father. He wanted what his friends had and told his father how he felt about it. In no unclear terms, he was disgusted that his father wasn’t as wealthy as they were. And this was very important to the son. Somehow, his identity lacked this one thing, riches, that would complete him.

The prodigal son wanted what his friends had and despised his father because of it…

The biblical story is intended to speak to us, God’s created beings, considering our rebellious nature. Our nature exudes greed and selfish, prideful behaviors. I've written about this in a previous post on Thomas Merton's definition of mankind’s ontology. We are rebellious, greedy creatures. In his respected thesis, we are acting out sin, not just a moral decision, but we are sin; it's what we do. It is our ontology.

“Thus, sin is not essentially an action but rather an identity. Sin is a fundamental stance of wanting to be what we are not. Sin is thus an orientation to falsity, a basic lie concerning our own deepest reality.”

~ Thomas Merton

In this story, the son is a rebellious man. His actions and words clearly show where his heart is and what that represents. And it would also indicate the kind of people he has surrounded himself with during his formative years. They are people one would consider the pillars of the community, respected and honorable persons, and of course, they had managed to acquire assets in farmlands and properties. Not to forget that the prodigal’s mother also participated in the son's condemnation of the father because of his “class” and financial status. Tales of her ontological failures due to the familial shortcomings of her own speak to the cultural intention to justify the abuse of their children that runs deep in many a family lineage.

“There is no calamity greater than lavish desires. There is no greater guilt than discontent. And there is no greater disaster than greed.”

~Lao-Tzu

Is it a fair representation to say they were condemning those in the community that were struggling with life, Those that would be considered lower working class folks? Is the prodigal simply reflecting their attitudes? Would it be a fair assumption that they also had opinions about the prodigal's father that were as assuming as the son's opinion that the father was unworthy because he wasn't rich?

It is relevant, though, that the son was unkind to the poor father even though the father loved the son. The father was, in fact, proud of the son's achievements and wasn’t shy to let the son know how proud he was of him. The son was bright, athletic, and attractive, and the girls thought so. Interested parties saw to it that he received recognition for his athletic prowess.

The biblical story tells of the son's journey and eventual struggle and demise. He eventually came to a place in his life where he was living in depravity. This can look like many things, poor or rich, plenty to poverty. Either way, the prodigal eventually realizes the father was a generous, caring man. He represents strength, honesty, and truth. It isn’t dependent on the father's riches or not!

Does our prodigal reflect the original parable given in the gospel of Luke? Jesus tells the parable to speak to the Father's dealings with his rebellious creation. And suppose we are able and ready, to be honest about our transgressions and rebelliousness, to acknowledge our ontology and desire to do what is necessary to rise above it. In that case, the Father is prepared and able to forgive and help us make our way to holiness, love, and peace. As St. Irenaeus tells us, “The glory of God is man fully alive.”

Ultimately, the son returned to the estate, and the father gave a party for him. It is assumed that the son repented and made amends for all the right reasons. Yes, the Father is rich in love and grace and ready to forgive upon our sincere request. Tales were told of the father becoming wealthy after years of struggle, accumulating various assets, and building an estate of sizable wealth.

Yet, they say the son was never wise to the value of his father's estate. After the father's death, the estate lived on to bless the future generations’ offspring.