Last week, my spiritual director and I were talking about the story of the Prodigal Son. It’s funny how certain things seem to keep coming up in life, and lately, this parable has been one of them.
Honestly, whenever I’ve read it, I’ve almost always imagined myself as the prodigal son. I’ve lost my way, sinned against God, and come crawling back more times than I can count. And that’s a good thing—seeing ourselves as sinners in need of the Father’s love is a vital part of the Christian life.
But here’s the thing: there’s more to this parable. And being a dad has started to shift my perspective.
I was sharing some of these thoughts with my spiritual director, explaining how I still see myself as the son most of the time. But deep down, I know I’m called to be the father.
That’s when he dropped this little gem: “Did you know this parable used to be called the Parable of the Merciful Father?”
It doesn’t actually change the story, but it sure changes how we read it.
Yes, we are the son. We’ve all had those moments of failure and return, those times when we’ve been met with overwhelming mercy. But we’re also called to be like the Merciful Father—to forgive, to welcome, and to reflect God’s love to those around us.
So here’s my challenge to you (and to myself): Read the parable again. It starts at Luke 15:11 (here’s the link: Luke 15). This time, don’t just see yourself as the son. Look at it through the eyes of the father.