Page 9 - Revista Paisiana Nr 12 Februarie 2025

The golden ring in his finger symbolises the
re-adoption through grace of the human alienated from
God through sin. More exactly, the golden ring is the
sign of the re-reception of the repenting man into
God’s full, uninterrupted, undiminished and unchan-
ged love, present in the holy work of the Church of
Christ.
The new footwear that the prodigal son recei-
ves after repenting means the grace or help received
from God in order to trample over the thorns of sinful
temptations and walk on the path of salvation, namely
the path of humble love towards God and his fellow
human beings.
The fattened calf slaughtered for the feast of
joy symbolises the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
This is why, all the sinners who repented and received
the forgiveness of their sins, through the Holy Sacra-
ment of Confession, are called to the Holy Divine
Communion or Eucharist, by which we are given,
since this world, the foretaste of the resurrection and
eternal life, of the joy in the Kingdom of heaven (John
6:54).
When God forgives the sins of the one who
is repenting, He rejoices because of the salvation of
the sinner helping them to improve spiritually. Because the mer-
The Gospel text on the Prodigal Son shows us ciful father forgives his sinful and prodigal son who
the unlimited unconditioned love of God for the re- repents and asks his obedient and diligent elder son to
penting sinner. The Father of the prodigal son does not be merciful and forgiving, the text of the Holy Gospel
reproach his son who comes back home and neither of this day is, at the same time, a Gospel of the forgi-
does he ask him for an inventory of the property was- ving of the repenting sinner and of taming the unfor-
ted, because the soul of the man saved for eternity is giving devoted person.
more expensive than any material property. The mer- The parable of the Prodigal Son has become a
ciful love of God, which rises above any material rea- model of repentance for all people in the life of the
son, overwhelms the justice according to which the Church, and especially for those who want to live a
prodigal son who squandered property had to be pu- monastic life. This is why the troparion of the religious
nished. Yet, it is just this unlimited love of the merciful service for tonsuring into monasticism is drafted as a
father, but not deserved by his sinful prodigal son, that prayer of repentance of the Prodigal Son. The content
caused much jealousy and anger to the elder son, be- of this troparion can be also found in the Kathismas
cause he did not understand his father’s attitude. But of the Matins celebrated on the Sunday of the Prodigal
the merciful father explains and spiritually guides his Son.
elder son, who has suddenly become unmerciful and May the Merciful God help us learn from the
unforgiving, telling him: “My son, you are always with parable of the Prodigal Son how great the power of the
me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to ce- sincere repentance is, how merciful the love of God
lebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was Who forgives the sins of the people is, and how uplif-
dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” ting is the holy joy that God gives to humble humans
(Luke 15:31-32). ever since this world. The parable of the Prodigal Son
The elder son of the parable of the Prodigal urges us to repent more for our sins and receive the
Son represents certain faithful who love God and the Holy Eucharist more often, in order to enjoy the joy
Church, are diligent and honest, live pure life with of forgiveness, the renewal of the life and the work of
much devotion, but who are rather often unmerciful the grace of Christ the Crucified and Risen One in us,
and unforgiving towards the sinners of the community, for the glory of the Most Holy Trinity and for our sal-
andwho would rather morally judge others instead of vation! Amen!

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