The Father of Prodigal Love

This Sunday the sermon is on the prodigal son. The commentaries were starting to put me to sleep when I hit this paragraph. (although the repetition “happen” is a bit clumsy)

“The fathers’ surprising action towards both sons is the literary center where the meaning must be sought. The father shatters the self-identity of both sons. Both define sonship in terms of servile obligations; each in his own way destroys the family. The parables does not allow this to happen, but redefines the conditions under which “family” can happen. A relationship with the father worked out in terms of servility leads to destruction. The relationship as redefined by the father leads to life and joy.”

In religion man approaches God with moral servility. In the Gospel, God approach man with love, embracing sinners as sons and daughters.