Brothers in Harms?

The texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary, today, bring the message of reconciliation to us. Paul exhorts the Corinthians and us to spread this message. In the Daily Reflection of Larry Gillick, S.J. we are challenged to consider that Luke’s telling of Jesus parable of the Prodigal and His Brother is a story about the existence of the two brothers within us. The logical, lawful, dutiful, and resentful personality who obeys and does what is expected is perhaps our dominant personality. The rebellious, rude and irreverent identity surfaces to take us “on our way”. The reconciliation message is that the Father, who watches for us, does not judge or exclude. The Father forgives the blatant transgressions of the ‘prodigal’ and the concealed contempt of the ‘first born’ and offers the choice of rejoining the household and the intimate relationship with the Divine to both and all. Perhaps through the humility of the fall to the deepest depths, the ‘prodigal’ who knows of the great forgiveness he has received, responds with the greatest love.