Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Today's Gospel is one of the world's most famous stories. This is because it speaks to us as humans, as individuals, in a powerful way.

There are two dramatic moments in the story. The first is when the father runs out to meet the prodigal. We expect otherwise, and that suggests that so did the son. He was prepared to live the rest of his life as a servant under his father. But Jesus is demonstrating, through this wonderful parable, that God is full of surprises, full of a love that we cannot fathom, cannot second guess. The second moment is when the other son, the faithful one, is chastised by his father for being so condemnatory.

So, this is a story in which we learn that our ways have much to change if we are to come into that family. Sometimes in life, we are the prodigal son. Other times we are the condemnatory son.

Sometimes we have the grace to act like the prodigal and turn back.

Sometimes we have the grace to listen to our Lord through the Gospels and accept that we are being selfish or condemnatory. Perhaps we can sometimes feel like the father: hurt by the selfishness of family decisions but always acting from love ready to welcome our cherished family back. It is a story of perspectives, and a reminder that Jesus is our guide through all of them - Jesus who was humbler yet, even to accepting death on a Cross.