Luke 15:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

I will return to my Father, to the one who has proclaimed: ‘Return, my soul, to thy rest’ (Psalm 114:7).

I will rise and go back to my father. I intend to return to the place from which I fell into wrongdoing; I will return to my Father, the Creator, the Master, the Guardian, and the Sustainer. I will come back to Him who has awaited me for a long time, eager to embrace those who seek Him once again. I will confess to Him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.

I shall arise, specifically from the depths of sin. I will approach my Father and confess, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, for I have turned to worthless pleasures instead of heavenly rewards, and forsaken my true home for a barren land. Just as one who, in a sense, sins against gold by choosing lead over it, so too does one sin against heaven by favoring earthly desires. He unequivocally strays from the path that leads to heaven. Observe that while he was in sin, he acted as if before no one but himself, but upon his repentance, he acknowledges that he has sinned in the presence of God.

Despite this, a person may reach old age and seek reconciliation with God, asking for pardon for past transgressions. He petitions for divine compassion and, relinquishing his inclination to sin, commits himself to righteous deeds. It is also possible that, as he nears the end of his earthly journey, he embraces Holy Baptism and turns away from his sins, experiencing God's mercy.

Rise and return to my father. It is aptly stated, ‘Stand up’; for in the absence of his father, he could not remain upright. It is typical of sinners to fall prone, while the righteous are called to stand firm. The Lord instructs Moses, Thou shalt stand here with Me (Deuteronomy 5:31). In the one hundred thirty-third psalm, the prophet invites the faithful to praise the Lord, saying, Behold now, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who stand in the house of the Lord (Psalm 133). And I will declare to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and I am no longer deserving to be called your son. The one who sins against heaven is he who has abandoned his mother, the heavenly Jerusalem. He has sinned before his father by rejecting the Forgiver and instead honoring the tree.

Let us turn our attention back to the Father. While I do not fear that we will stray far, as the penitential figure did—having remained in the vineyard, he would not have wandered from his Father if he had stayed—yet we must take care not to postpone their reconciliation. The Father does not delay and is readily reconciled with His son when he earnestly seeks forgiveness. Let us strive to approach the Father with heartfelt pleas! The son calls out, “Father,” highlighting the boundless love and mercy of a Father who, even when wronged, allows His son the privilege of addressing Him as such. The son humbly confesses, “I have sinned against heaven and before you.” This represents the earliest acknowledgment before the Creator of all, the Lord of compassion, and the ultimate Judge.

I will arise and return to my Father. I will rise from the depths of sin. I will reclaim my dignity as I go back to the place I departed from in disgrace. I will say to Him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven. I have chosen earthly desires over heavenly treasures. I shudder at the sight of Your heavenly expanse, perceiving it as an accuser’s voice. Furthermore, I have sinned against You, for I have chosen my own will over Yours. I tremble to meet the brilliance of Your divine presence, as I am tainted in both body and spirit.

In this way, the young man, stripped of his sonship and choosing to abandon his sacred homeland of his own accord, found himself in a state of desperation. He condemned and humbled himself, and in a spirit of repentance declared: “I will rise and go to my Father, and I will say to Him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before You.’” It is appropriate to recognize that the Father in the story of the prodigal son represents God; for how could that wayward son have sinned "against heaven" if it were not for the heavenly Father? Thus, he confesses, "I have sinned against heaven"—referring to the holy beings in heaven who dwell in His presence—"and before You," who resides among the Saints above.

In a moment of clarity, he awakens to the reality of his situation; he realizes the need for change and resolves to abandon his sinful existence, seeking God's mercy even under the most stringent conditions. As soon as a flicker of hope emerges in the desolate soul of the sinner—a hope for God's compassion combined with a sincere desire to turn away from sin—the Lord swiftly comes to embrace him, further infusing this spiritual readiness with His grace. Once the sinner fully returns to his Heavenly Father, the Lord generously bestows upon him renewed spiritual and physical blessings to replace what was forfeited in his former life of sin, and this transformation brings immense joy to God and the angels.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

In the midst of His criticism directed towards the scribes and Pharisees, while simultaneously teaching His followers, Christ related the story of the Prodigal Son. A particular man had two sons, and the younger one, weary of living under his father's authority, longed for a carefree and indulgent life away from home. To that end, he requested his father to grant him his share of the inheritance. Once given, he gathered all he owned and ventured to a far-off land, where he squandered his wealth on reckless living. Eventually, as necessity and hunger set in, he found himself in need of employment, taking a job tending pigs.

The young man found himself in the company of these despicable creatures, which offered him a chance to reflect on the series of misfortunes that had led to the ruin of his youthful life. He recalled his father’s household, once filled with love, joy, and esteem from the numerous servants who attended to their needs. Now, he was a servant himself, yet one who lived in hunger, shame, and rejection, while the servants in his father's home were at least content and held a respectable place within the household. He felt a twinge of envy towards those servants. How he longed to be back in his own home, not as the beloved son and heir he could scarcely envision, but even as one of the hired hands.

"I will rise and go to my Father": this reveals the sinner's resolve to turn away from sin and seek forgiveness. Praise be to God who invites the sinner to return to Him! Blessed is the moment when the glimmer of hope in God's mercy and the desire to repent illuminate the darkened soul of the sinner! - "I have sinned against heaven and before You": heaven signifies the sacred realm of God's presence, where the holy angels and righteous individuals dwell; "before You," signifies a loving yet just father who is both offended and compassionate. This reflects the profound and earnest repentance of the sinner who acknowledges that through his actions he has wronged the holy God and disrespected all the saints gathered around His throne.