Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/613

 it, and  let  us  eat  and  be  merry ;  because  this  my  son  was  dead , and is  come  to  life  again:  he  was  lost,  and  is  found.’

“Now his  elder  son  was  in  the  field;  and  when  he  came  and drew nigh  to  the  house,  he  heard  music  and  dancing. Calling one of  the  servants,  he  asked  what  these  things  meant. The servant said:  ‘Thy  brother  is  come,  and  thy  father  hath  killed  the fatted calf,  because  he  hath  received  him  safe.’  And  he  was angry and  would  not  go  in. His father,  therefore,  coming  out, began to  entreat  him. But he  answering,  said  to  his  father: ‘Behold, for  so  many  years  do  I serve  thee,  and  I have  never transgressed thy  commandment;  and  yet  thou  hast  never  given me a kid,  to  make  merry  with  my  friends. But as  soon  as  this thy son  is  come,  who  hath  devoured  thy  substance,  thou  hast killed for  him  the  fatted  calf.’  But  the  father  replied: ‘Son,  thou art always  with  me,  and  all  that  I have  is  thine. Yet it  was  fit that we  should  make  merry  and  be  glad: for  this  thy  brother  was dead, and  is  come  to  life  again;  he  was  lost,  and  is  found.’”

By this  beautiful  parable  our  Blessed  Lord  teaches  us  how  willing Almighty God  is  to  receive  the  penitent  sinner,  and  how  rejoiced  He is  at  his  return. Our Lord  describes:  i.  the  falling  away  of  a sinner from God;  2. the return  of  the  sinner  to  God;  and  3. God’s reception of the  penitent  sinner.

The father  in  the  parable  signifies  God;  the  elder  son. the just; and the  younger  son,  the  sinner.

1. Man  begins  to  fall  away  from  God  by  allowing  unlawful  desires to take  possession  of  his  heart. In consequence,  he  will  soon  come  to regard  God's commandments  as  so  many  fetters,  and  to  long  for  greater licence. He loses  all  taste  for  prayer  and  the  word  of  God,  and  imagines that he  would  be  a happier  man  if  he  could  live  according  to  his