March 27, 2022
The Holy Confidence of the Prodigal Son
Look at the prodigal son. He leaves his father’s house. He displays frightful ingratitude toward his father who is so good; he demands his part of the inheritance to go carousing, far away. Soon he finds himself stripped of everything and is forced to reflect. In the depths of his abjection, he has the grace to recall the goodness of his father. I shall rise up and go to my father. That is confidence. But humbly he recognizes himself to be a sinner. I shall say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am not worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.
You know how the father received him, not as a servant, but as a beloved son. Seeing him coming from afar, he runs to meet him; seized with compassion, he throws himself on his neck, presses him to his heart, and embracing him, he tells his servants: “Bring forth quickly the finest robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet; and bring here the flatted calf and kill it and let us eat and make merry. And there was dancing and music. These eloquent details with which the story ends show us a father exulting in his happiness. And why? He tells us why, and repeats it to the jealous older brother. This my son was dead and has come to life again; was lost and has been found.
Oh, this desire, this need of the Father of mercies to retrieve his lost child and give him life! That is the heart of God! Remember that each time you pick yourself up after a fall, the feast of the prodigal son is renewed. Your Father in heaven clothes you again in his most beautiful cloak, puts a ring in your finger, and tells you to dance with joy. In a living faith, you will not approach the confessional with dragging feat, but as if you were going to a feast, even if you have to make a great effort each time to humble yourself and to conquer the monotony of the routine. After the absolution, you should dance like the prodigal son did at the request and for the joy of his father. We do not dance enough in the spiritual life.
FATHER JEAN DU CEUR DE JESUS D’ ELBEE
Father d’Elbee (+Congregation) was a French priest and spiritual author. He was a member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
