A Father's Day Parable for June's Lectio Divina

Matthew Harrison

June 17, 2010
For the past ten months Archbishop Thomas Collins' Lectio Divina has been meditating on the parables of Jesus.
In the final episode of the season, and appropriate to this Sunday's Father's Day, Archbishop Collins meditates on the IMG_7546Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).
Hearing this parable year after year I had always focused more on the son who had traveled "to a far country" and "squandered his property in loose living."  This time though, I found myself drawn to the father figure.  I was of course aware of the parallel to the mercy of our Father in heaven, but I had never thought of the joy the father experienced when his son returned:
But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
Archbishop Collins offered this little insight into that scene:  although the son was far from his father, the father was not far from his son.
It's something to think about.  No matter how much we distance ourselves from God, He longs not only to welcome us back, but to lavish us with love -- to embrace us, to kiss us, to celebrate our return!
The parable teaches about the love and mercy of God, and offers an example for all fathers -- it's definitely something worth meditating on this weekend!
Tune in this Sunday, June 20th at 8:30pm ET for the broadcast edition of Lectio Divina with Archbishop Thomas Collins: The Parables of Jesus.  You can also catch an encore presentation Wednesday, June 23rd at 8pm ET.
Have a happy Father's Day!