Luke 15:31Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

I cannot withhold mercy from him whom I have brought to life; I cannot deny compassion to the one I have nurtured from my very being. ‘My son, thou art always with me, and all that is mine is thine.’ The heavens belong to you, the sky is yours, the sun serves as your light, the moon exists to honor you, the stars are your illumination, the air sustains you, and all that it contains is for you. The earth and everything within it is yours, as is the sea and all its wonders. The universe belongs to you, the Church is yours, the altar is yours, the fatted calf is yours, the sacrifice is yours, the angels are yours, the apostles are yours, the martyrs are yours; the present is yours, the future is yours, the resurrection is yours, eternal life is yours, incorruption is yours, the kingdom of heaven is yours, and all that is visible and comprehensible is yours. I have not taken anything from you to give to him; I have not impoverished you to enrich him. Have I not been generous to him out of my own goodness? Am I not equally a father to you and to him? I honor you for your virtue and him for his excellent return; I love you for your life and him for his correction; I appreciate your conduct and him for his repentance; I cherish your patience and him for his return to me.

He illustrates that when a person is called to repentance—even one whose past is filled with grave transgressions—it should bring joy rather than resentment.

We too undergo similar experiences. Some lead commendable and consistent lives, embodying all manner of virtues and eschewing what is contrary to God’s commandments, earning accolades in the eyes of both God and man. Others, however, may be frail, caught in sin, succumbing to vices, and compromised by immorality. Yet, even such individuals may, in their later years, seek the Lord and plead for forgiveness for their wrongdoings. They may earnestly ask for mercy and, turning away from their sinful inclinations, strive toward righteousness. Or perhaps, as they approach the end of their earthly existence, they may receive the holy sacrament of baptism, shedding their transgressions, and God graciously forgives them. People may sometimes begrudge this grace, questioning why one who engaged in certain ungodly acts and uttered inappropriate words did not face judgment but instead received such noble and wondrous grace, being welcomed among the children of God and honored as a saint. Such sentiments often arise from a constrained understanding that fails to grasp the intentions of our universal Father.

For He rejoices immensely when the lost find salvation, restoring them to their original dignity, clothing them in the garment of freedom, adorning them with a splendid robe, and placing a ring on their hand—a symbol of their rightful place. It is thus our responsibility to align ourselves with what pleases God, for He heals the afflicted, raises the fallen, supports those who stumble, seeks after the lost, renews those ensnared in sin to live lives worthy of praise, and resurrects those who have suffered a spiritual demise. May we also rejoice: alongside the holy angels, let us extol Him as good and loving, gentle and devoid of malice. For if we maintain this attitude, we will be embraced by Christ, to whom, with the Holy Spirit, be glory and sovereignty to God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.

Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, wrote: I will save all, that I may save some (1 Cor. 9:22); and to the Philippians: All seek their own, not the interests of Christ Jesus (Phil. 2:21). Nonetheless, it must be believed that nothing has ever been denied to one invited to partake in the fatted calf.

The elder son's indignation was so intense that he refused to acknowledge the wayward one as his brother, instead referring to him disdainfully as "this son of yours." His capacity to love his brother, even one who had fallen and needed assistance, was entirely absent; he was solely focused on himself and willing to sacrifice his brother's well-being for his own self-interest. In his view, a son who had wasted his inheritance through debauchery deserved to be cast out rather than embraced; he should meet his demise, as it was his own doing.

We, as sinners, often mirror this attitude when a fellow believer who has wronged us seeks forgiveness. We feel compelled to first highlight their transgressions, sometimes magnifying their impact, mocking them, and reopening their emotional wounds, only to extend forgiveness after subjecting them to such moral anguish. We rationalize this behavior by claiming that we are acting in the best interest of the repentant one, guiding them toward acknowledgment of their wrongdoing. However, the individual who seeks forgiveness, admitting, "I have sinned against heaven and before you," is already aware of their faults and has genuinely repented, thus requiring no further persuasion toward repentance. This is not how our merciful God operates.

It was fitting that we should celebrate and rejoice, for your brother was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” The Savior did not reveal how the ungrateful brother reacted; instead, He compelled the Pharisees listening to Him to reflect on their own attitudes toward the lost and desperate, inviting them to recognize the profound moral implications of the parable that illuminated their own lack of compassion.

Concerning the Pharisees and scribes, it is made evident that they have continual access to God; they possess the law, they hold revelation, the divine will is made known to them, and they can receive spiritual gifts and blessings. However, they cannot secure the favor of the heavenly Father due to their warped and unkind spiritual and moral attitudes. The God of love and mercy cannot support those who ought to rejoice and take joy in the repentance of a sinner, as the angels in heaven do (cf. Lk. 15:10); instead, they turn away and refuse to engage in fellowship with such individuals. The parable concludes with the father's words, prompting the Lord to seemingly question the scribes and Pharisees who criticized Him (cf. Lk. 15:1): "Do you still wish to grumble against Me for associating with tax collectors and sinners, or do you desire to share in the heavenly joy of God, angels, and the righteous at the redemption of a repentant sinner?"