Prodigal

Reading the Prodigal Son parable (Luke 15:11-32) for the zillionth time, this jumped out at me:

“And he answering said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.’   And he said unto him, “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.  It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.’”

First, I am reminded that, religion aside, this is just great literature worth reading.  Second, I was struck by the patience of the father.  I am afraid that in place of “son, though art ever with me, and all that I have is thine” my response would have been (depending on how my day had gone to that point) something more along the lines “shut up and get in there you ungrateful shit.”  I might have added to that: “Someday, you may understand” – but only on my better days.

I like the father’s response in the story much better.