What is true love? In Sunday's gospel true love is evident. Most of us may remember the story of the prodigal son. It is the story of one son taking his share of his father's inheritance and squandering it, only to find himself back at his father's door step seeking forgiveness. But in recent years, we have changed our focus of the story. It is now referred to as the loving father. Fittingly so since we should be focusing on not what the son has done, because that really has no consequence on the father's reaction, but on the love and forgiveness that the father has for his son.
Most of us know that the symbolism in this parable is of the Father's love for all of us. Especially His compassion for those who have turned their backs on him and then realize their mistake. And we,faithful followers of Jesus, are the other brother who was told not to be jealous of this love, for it is always given to us as well.
But in a different view, we are all asked to be like the father in the parable. This man shows true love. Here returns a person who spurned his love. A person who threw away all that had been given to him. And yet, as the son returns and seeks forgiveness, refusing even to forgive himself, his father has none of these feelings. Total compassion. Total forgiveness. Total understanding. Total love. Raising his son up not with a review or criticism of what he had done wrong, but with a forgiveness that tells him to forgive himself. This is the love we are asked to share. This is the love we are asked to live. This is God's love and seeing life through God's eyes. Eyes of mercy. Eyes of compassion. Eyes of understanding.
If this day you have a friend, a loved one, an acquaintance, who is seeking forgiveness, from you or anyone else. Restore them to their proper dignity. Love them. Forgive them. Help them to love themselves. For as we love others, so shall the Father love us. And couldn't we all use a little compassionate forgiveness from God?
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