countless graces on you; and how have you repaid Him? Have you always listened to His Voice, and kept His Commandments? Have you not, on the contrary, offended Him every day of your life? Be sorry for your ingratitude, and try to excite in yourself a greater love for Jesus. Say this prayer: “Kindle in me the fire of Thy love.”
Chapter XLV.
THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON.
[Luke 15, 11— 32.]
ON the same occasion Jesus proposed the following parable to the Jews: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said: ‘Father, give me the portion of substance that falleth to me.’ [1] The father did so. Not many days after, the younger son, gathering all his property, went abroad into a far country[2], and there he spent his substance in riotous living[3].
“After he had spent all, there came a mighty famine in that country, and he began to be in want[4]. Then he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his farm to feed swine [5]. Here he would fain have filled his belly with the husks the swine did eat.
- ↑ Falleth to me. According to the Jewish law of inheritance the younger son received only half as much as the eldest, but as long as his father was alive he could count on nothing. The father was therefore in no way bound to give his son his future inheritance during his own life-time; but, rather than force him to stay at home against his will, he gave it to him, though he knew very well that his son would soon squander away his fortune.
- ↑ A far country. He hoped to have more liberty away from his father's house. He chafed under the discipline of his home-life, and his father's supervision. He considered the restraints unnecessary and undignified, and felt sure that he would be happier, if he were his own master and could do just as he liked. The calm happiness of his father’s house no longer satisfied him. He thought it monotonous and wearisome, and pined for the licence of noisy pleasures, picturing to himself a happy life in the vortex of the world. His father warned him, but he cast his warnings to the four winds, and defiantly left his home.
- ↑ In riotous living. Joining himself to flatterers and lewd companions, and indulging in drinking, banqueting and unworthy pleasures.
- ↑ In want. For his “friends” quickly forsook him, when they could get nothing more out of him.
- ↑ Feed swine. He had to accept the most degrading situation to save himself from dying of starvation. His labours, however, were so badly paid that often he had not enough to eat, suffered bitter hunger, and even envied the swine their food. Poor, unhappy man, how miserable he was! Once the proud and headstrong son of a rich father, he was now clothed in rags, despised, emaciated, and hungry!
