Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”‘ So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him…
Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. (Lk 15, 17-24).
Chapter 15 of Luke’s gospel speaks about conversion and the celebration after conversion. Jesus uses three parables to illustrate this point.
The first story speaks about the lost sheep and the next story about the lost coin. In both these stories the lost things are sought after. The shepherd goes after the lost sheep leaving the ninety-nine in the desert. In the same way, the lady sweeps the whole house in search of
the lost coin. When they are found there is rejoicing and celebration.
But in the story of the lost son (prodigal son), the father does not go after the son. He waits for him to return. When the son is on his way back the father runs to receive the son and has great compassion on him and there is great rejoicing and celebration. These three stories are models of conversion.
Why the father does not go after the lost son? It could be because the son decided to go away from the father. The decision is his. So he has to decide to come back. Even if the father were to go after him, if the son does not want to come back then his journey would be in futile. So the son has to decide to come back. This is the difference between the lost things and a lost person. The lost person has to retrace his decision. Then the father will run to take him back. Then there is celebration.
