Luke 15:20-24 “So he set out for his father’s house. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly bring out the finest robe we have and put it on him. Place a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us celebrate with a feast. For this son of mine was dead and has come back to life. He was lost, and now he has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.” Today's episode takes a look at the interaction between the prodigal son and his father once the son returns back home. I share Father Mike's explanation of the significance of the four things the father gave to the son when her returned home. Music:"Adding the Sun" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Come As You Are Series - The Prodigal Son
Luke 15:20-24 “So he set out for his father’s house. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly bring out the finest robe we have and put it on him. Place a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us celebrate with a feast. For this son of mine was dead and has come back to life. He was lost, and now he has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.”
I really like hearing other people talk about the various aspects of the Parable of the Prodigal Son. It seems like such a straightforward story to me, at least at first glance. For those who are not aware of the story, let me read it to you.
Luke 15:11-32 “The Parable of the Lost (or Prodigal) Son. Then he said: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that I will inherit.’ And so the father divided the property between them.
“A few days later, the younger son gathered together everything he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissolute living. When he had spent it all, a severe famine afflicted that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who sent him to his farm to feed the pigs. He would have willingly filled his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“Then he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more food than they can consume, while here I am, dying of hunger. I will depart from this place and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me like one of your hired workers.” ’
“So he set out for his father’s house. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly bring out the finest robe we have and put it on him. Place a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us celebrate with a feast. For this son of mine was dead and has come back to life. He was lost, and now he has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.
“Now the elder son had been out in the fields, and as he returned and drew near the house, he could hear the sounds of music and dancing. He summoned one of the servants and inquired what all this meant. The servant replied, ‘Your brother has come home, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ The elder son then became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him, but he said to his father in reply, ‘All these years I have worked like a slave for you, and I never once disobeyed your orders. Even so, you have never even given me a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours returns after wasting his inheritance from you on prostitutes, you kill the fatted calf for him.’
“Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are with me always, and everything I have is yours. But it was only right that we should celebrate and rejoice because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and now he has been found.’ ”
I have heard many people talk about this one parable. Some have focused on the younger son, who took his father’s money and left. Some focus on the father and his willingness and eagerness to forgive. Others focus on the older son who stayed and worked his father’s land. Every time I listen to someone explain this story, I always learn something new. No matter how many times this story is explained, there is a whole new level I didn’t know about. It truly amazes me. Today I want to explain one small part of it that Father Mike explained on day #319 of the Bible in A Year podcast. I thought it was so great, and I think everyone should hear how he explains the interaction between the younger son and his father when he comes home. Father Mike explains that when the younger son is leaving, he is saying he doesn’t want anything to do with his father. He takes the inheritance and leaves. Then he comes home because he is starving. Father Mike and Stephanie Parks, who work for Focus, created this retreat called the Prodigal Son Retreat, and it focuses on the four things the father said when the son came home.
First, what does it mean that the father gives him the best robe? In the ancient world, one had only a couple of robes and a single best robe. This son just took half of his father’s money and squandered it away. He is not a good son. He is a failure, and yet the father says Give him the best robe. This represents giving him the glory of the Father. Next, the father says, Put a ring on his finger. On that ring would be a signet of the father, a sign of the father’s authority. So, not only is he clothed in the father’s glory, but he is also putting on his hand the father’s authority. He is fully restoring him to sonship. Thirdly, he is saying to put shoes on his feet. Why? Because the son is free. He is free to leave again if he wants to. Lastly, the father says, “Kill the fatted calf.” There are not a lot of fatted calves lying around. You get one. Not only does he get the best robe, but he is also clothed in the father’s glory, then he gets the ring to show the father’s authority, and he is restored. Not only does he get shoes and is free to leave if he wants to again, but then they kill the fatted calf because he is relentlessly pursued. We know he is relentlessly pursued because his father didn’t wait for him to get home. His father was already looking for him, and when he saw him, his father ran after him. The master of the house did not run at the time this took place. This would have been out of the ordinary, and yet that is how excited the father was to see his son. Once his son was home, he was ridiculously celebrated.
I haven’t heard anyone explain the four things the father gives to the son before. I knew that the father was accepting the son back as is, but I didn’t realize the significance of those four things. This story is a parable to explain what it is like for us when we come home. Jesus told us so we could try to understand how loved we are by our Heavenly Father. The son is coming home, just as he is. He didn’t get all cleaned up before coming home. He didn’t wait till he earned back all the money or became successful. He was at the bottom of the bottom, and he still summoned up enough courage to come back home to his father. Can we be brave too? Can we summon up the courage to come to the Lord, even though we don’t feel worthy? Can we come to the Lord just as we are? God loves us. Can we accept that love? Please close your eyes and picture your Heavenly Father running up to you and putting his arms around you and picking you up and spinning you around like you are a little kid. How amazing does that feel?
Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today. Lord, you are amazing. I love that you teach us in parables. I love that you reveal the truth to us slowly so we don’t get overwhelmed. Thank you for showing us your love for us by demonstrating it in the Father of this parable. You are so forgiving, and you welcome us with open arms. You don’t even wait for us to get up to the door. You see us from afar and you run out to greet us. We are so lucky you love us so much. We love you, Father, and we are so grateful that you forgive us for our sins. We are grateful you welcomed us back in and restored us to sonship and daughterhood. You are amazing, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus’ holy name, Amen.
Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I look forward to spending time with you on Monday. Remember, Jesus loves you, and so do I! Have a blessed day!
Today’s Word from the Lord was received in June 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today’s Word from the Lord is, “There is a long and winding road that leads to love, to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It leads you to places you wouldn't go on your own. As you navigate this road, you will meet many difficult and unsuspecting challenges. I am beside you, close enough to you to direct your steps, to nudge you to the right or to the left, lest you get lost along the way, or perhaps rest too long in one place.”