The Grace of Mercy

The Prodigal Son is born into a prosperous family and receives all good things from his father.  But rather than waiting for his dad to die, he demands his inheritance now, thumbs his nose at his father, takes the money and runs. 

The food sated him.  The wine exhilarated him.  The carousing titillated him.  But after it was all over, he found himself empty, lonely, and broke.

This is the grand illusion of sin.  It is dangled before our eyes as the key to fulfillment and happiness.  It is all about enjoying the gifts of creation in defiance of the Creator, in a way contrary to his wise and loving design.

There is a very important point in the Prodigal story that should not escape our attention.  The motivation of the son is not sincere sorrow at how badly he has offended his father.  It is not even that he misses his father.  It comes back because he is hungry.  He admits his sin and wants pardon, yes, but it is to save his skin.

Does the Father care?  Does his insist that the son’s contrition be pure or perfect?  Does he even pay attention to the son’s rehearsed speech?  No.  He is overjoyed that the son has begun the journey home, for whatever reason.  He lavishes gifts upon him before he even gets to the house.  The elder brother insists that he does not deserve them.  The Father does not contest this.  The Prodigal deserves nothing.   But the Father gives him everything.

God’s freely given, unmerited grace precedes even our expression of sorrow.  In fact, without God’s grace, we can’t make the first step on the road back to him.  He loves us when we were yet sinners, and seems to lavish the greatest graces on the most undeserving.

Ask St. Paul about this.  Perhaps he writes more about grace than any other biblical author because he needed it so much more.   Was it Benjamin Franklin who said that God helps those who help themselves?  Paul, the foremost of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15), understood that it is quite the opposite: God helps those who can’t help themselves.  That’s what grace is all about.

Edited from: http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/236/The_Prodigal_Son_and_the_Golden_Calf.html