Ok…I admit, I have always loved the Parable of The Prodigal Son.
I like to focus on the Father.
Imagine him getting up each morning wondering,
‘Is this the day? Will I see my son today?
Will my son finally come to his senses and return home?’
And each day he stares into the distance….
hoping beyond hope….
and then that day finally arrives.
Beautiful
But…
what about that older brother???
Yes, I’ve read Nouwen and other commentaries,
and yes, it all makes sense…
but really,
in your heart of hearts…
isn’t there just a little part of you that feels some injustice here?
~~~~~
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8
Sometimes it’s hard
Sometimes I just don’t get it
Meandering thru life 
I’ve always wondered about how the story panned out. Did the elder brother continue to feel resentful and hurt? Did the father see how he had neglected the older brother in his concern for his younger son, and did he then work on building bridges with the older son? Did the older son take his inheritance and run, thinking that was the way to get the father’s attention? Though I am inclined to think that the father threw a sencond party for the older son, to celebrate his faithfulnes… 🙂 Those are just my thoughts, and as you say, God’s ways are not our ways, nor are his thoughts ours.
When I think of the elder son, I am reminded of the parable of the owner of the vineyard where everyone was paid the same no matter how many hours they had worked. God’s love is totally unconditional for all of us and we don’t really understand the economics of God’s love because whether we intend to or not, we often attach strings to our love. I am just thankful that God’s love has no strings attached – for I am not worthy but I am loved unconditionally.
I once had a debate with a priest about this parable. I said it was not fair that the prodigal son, having spent half the father’s fortune, returns home to a party and in time, when the father dies, he will no doubt get a half of what is left. This means the other son gets a quarter of the original fortune.
The priest went on about forgiveness and welcoming back a sinner who repents. I bet that priest never had a fortune left to him by someone and then saw it disappear. Would he have been so forgiving then?
Thank you for this thought-provoking post Andie. I never quite understood this parable.
God bless.
I don’t know any more if I EVER get it. I suppose that’s the root of the command to be faithful . . . even if we don’t understand any of it. My oh my. That is hard sometimes.
I do wonder about how it all turned out, happily ever after, I hope
Oh I think about the older son all the time. The story always seems to focus on the Prodigal Son and the father. But that poor older son … how angry he must have been!
In any case, we are all very lucky God is so forgiving … of all of us!
God Bless!