The Greatest Love

            “For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” (Lk 15:24)

As years pass, I’ve noticed that my parents have less of a say in what I do. I’ve even felt superior, as if I were a grown individual, and I didn’t need my parents. But I realized that my parents were always the ones there for me when all else failed me. They helped me even though I refused to ask for their help. They forgave me endlessly for things I’ve done. They never gave up. I learned that longsuffering forgiveness plays a big part in love. The greatest kind of love is love with mercy.

The father of the prodigal son forgave his younger son because he loved and cared for him. Even though the younger son strayed from his father, the father forgave the son for his wrong-doings and received him back as a son. The son knew he was not worthy to be called a son anymore. Yet, the father said to his servants, “Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry” (Lk 15:22, 23). Not only did he forgive him, he celebrated the fact that his son had returned to the right path.

God forgives us daily. How many times have we repented, but then stumbled on the same mistakes again? Think about how many times He has forgiven us because of how much love He holds for us. We are the children of God. Each day God watches over us, in the hope that we will make the right decisions, and when we stumble, the one that takes the grief to heart is God. He waits silently hoping that we will truly return and not stray again.

So when it seems like there’s no hope, just remember that if we repent with all our heart, God will listen, because He loves us, and when we have gone astray, He is forever waiting by the door for us to come home.

            Questions for Reflection:

Are you a prodigal son in need of true repentance and turning back to God? What active steps are you taking to return to the right path?