The Prodigal Son,
Blessing which is Fatherhood.
Anne Lastman
The parable of the Prodigal Son brings to us an image and look at the “function” and role of the father as imaged by God. This parable so strongly shows the role of “father” and how far from this idea of father is the image of father we have today.
The role of the father is important to the spiritual and psychological development and formation of his child. The link with the father is not only that of physical generation, but also of establishing a developmental and spiritual bond. It’s through this bond that the “son” or child gains his identity as “son” just as surely as God is identified as Father, through the generation of his Word (son) Jesus, and though need of Jesus was to be on earth for a time he always retained and remained deeply enveloped in that special bond with his Father.
As the human father confers on his human child his nature and personality (all that it means to be a human and human father) so too the divine Father confers on his son Jesus his own nature, which is divine whilst the son receives his human nature from his mother.
God’s Word establishes the fact of fatherhood and sonship. “You are my son the beloved” (Mk 1:11) and “You are always with me” (Lk 15:31) are the identifiable characteristics and promise between the Father and the Son and it’s true that the Son has been within the Father always and has remained with and within the Father and for all times is united to the Father, forming an extraordinary and indissoluble bond. And indeed, so too has the human son been within the father always and also forming an extraordinary bond. It’s a great tragedy that today’s father has reneged on his bond and abandoned his child to a fate of death. It’s tragic that a father will not defend his right as a father and demand that his son/daughter be respected, honoured and as in abortion, murdered.
The parable of the Prodigal Son is extraordinary because it shows the son’s misconception of his father’s nature and rejected it, and a son who remained behind but feared that nature of the father in whose heart they were both treasured.
Looking closely at the relationship between the father and his sons (in the parable) we can see a father who gives freedom and all that belongs to his heir who isn’t willing to wait for his father to be laid with his ancestors but wants it “now” so that he can leave the safety of his father’s house for the uncertainty in the world. And yet and the father gives these with sorrow in his heart, not because of the giving but because of the losing of his son to an alien world. One of the most agonising images is the father longingly looking into the distance and waiting for his son to return. Just to return. And then the joy seen in the father when he looks into the distance and sees the image of his son returning, weakly, meekly returning in the hope that he might find a place in his father’s abundant house. Not expecting to return to the shelter of his father’s heart but in any small way under the protection of his mantle.
Looking at the image of the father standing outside nightly longingly looking in hope that his son would return home to him when indeed, he saw him, he started running towards his errant child The relationship between God and His Son and a highlighting which Jesus brings to the relationship of fatherhood and chid. There is even a fear of the father as indeed we see clearly in Old Testament Scriptures where God is portrayed as someone to be feared and at times ruthless, tyrannical and someone who required appeasement, obedience and detachment. This imagery is also evident with the (prodigal) son’s desire to flee from what he thought were strict confines of his father’s house. However, in his wanderings he discovers that the image of his father was false and that instead his father’s house meant freedom from any kind of want. Security, generosity, love. These which he did not find in his wanderings.
In this parable Jesus skilfully weaves the true image of a father, and that of his Father on the tapestry of the human story. With this parable Jesus reverses past beliefs about God’s attitude towards his creation, his children, that of being a stern and vengeful father who punishes for all misdemeanours. Jesus clearly shows an image of his Father which was previously unknown or vaguely hinted at. The love and care and mercy of God the Father previously only alluded to, is incarnated in visible form in the son (Jesus) so that the attributes of the Father could be understood by all who heard and saw. The mercy and compassion shown by God (father figure in the parable) is constant, even in the weaknesses of the child. God is ever vigilant for the son’s return and knows the humiliation and baggage borne by the child are heavy. In his solicitude He (God) lightens the burden of shame by running to meet his still distant child, the child still weighed down by the misfortunes of his wanderings. It has been said that we make one step towards God and he does the rest.
Perhaps this parable is most appropriate for today because of the diminished role of fatherhood in the life of his child/children which in turn has led to the diminishing of the enjoyment of the generator father as head of his household, but also diminishes the understanding of fatherhood and the great necessity that a father is for his child’s development and happiness in his own understanding of him/herself, a much loved and desired child.
In the absence of fatherhood, a child has no protector, no headship/leadership role. For a male child there is no father to teach him along the way to manhood and later to teach his own son. A father loves his daughter with the same love and respect he has for her mother. The love and respect he has for her femininity. This aspect of learning when absent leaves a daughter floundering. Looking for father (in future spouse) who may or not have been there but was emotionally absent. When this honour and respect and pleasure in his daughter’s beautify (like her mother) remains unsatisfied because of the lessened or absent role of father, she does not know what good fathering is and hence in future life looks for another like her father, disrespectful and abusive just as she has seen or known in her past. alternatively, she looks for a spouse who is like her own father who respected both her mother and her. As a father fathers his son, he teaches him how to be a man. How he fathers his daughter he teaches her how to demand and expect respect and honour in her femininity. This because it is all she knows.
A father’s heart has been created to hold a stable, protecting, caressing presence for his child as a mother’s heart has been created to hold a safe, loving, serene place for her child. A place where there is always a very secure place without even the need to talk.
As we approach Father’s Day in Australia, September 1, 2024, We wish all fathers a day to remember who they are. Their importance to and in the life of their child/ren, family, and to society. And maybe a reminder that without their guidance and strength and manly love the child/ren will never know what love of a man or the love of God means.
Children who have grown up without father or a father’s influence cannot ever understand the love of God as father. They may understand Jesus because he was real, physical, even visible through various images, but love of God as father brings blank stares, at times fear, because it means nothing. He has been absent, as their own father was absent. As their own father abandoned them, so this person known as God and Father also abandoned them. The words “My God my God why have you abandoned me” echoes their own experience. (needs explaining in age related manner).
So, the most beautiful thing we can all do on father’s day, whether in Australia or all over the world is to pray for them, and show love for the man called father and, in whose arms, and care children feel safe. Like the parable of the Prodigal son, the errant son, again sheltered under his father’s mantle and felt safe.
Happy Father’s day to all fathers, those in eternity and those on this earth and a very happy father’s day to all our spiritual fathers. To our Holy Father Pope Francis, priests, bishops, clergy for their love, guidance, care and response when needed. and their ever looking into the distance to find one who has been left behind and is afraid.
Happy and blessed Father’s Day.
