God's Children

          “WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN, NOT HIS SERVANTS!”  This is the message of the Parable of the Prodigal Son. (Luke 15:11-32)

          Listening to the homily of our parish priest, Rev. Fr. Gerard Ariston Perez, at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass this morning of March 2, 2013, I got a deeper understanding of the message that our Lord Jesus Christ wanted to convey when He narrated the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

            I used to share in my reflections of this parable that God loves each and everyone of us unconditionally.  But why?  The homily of Father Gerry gave me the very reason for it, and that is: “BECAUSE GOD IS OUR FATHER AND WE ARE HIS CHILDREN, NOT HIS SERVANTS.”

            In his analysis of the attitudes of the two sons, Father Gerry brought out their misconception of their relationship with their father.  The younger son, when he decided to return to his father, asked that he be admitted no longer as a son but as a servant.  The father, however, replied by giving him a robe, a ring, a pair of shoes and even a big celebration, which are clear signs that he is welcoming him not as a servant but as a son.   The elder son too, when he refused to join the celebration because it was unfair that his father was welcoming his brother with such a big feast, killing a fatted calf, whereas he never got even a kid goat to celebrate with his friends, got the answer: “My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.  But this brother of yours was dead, and has come back to life. He was lost and is found.  And for that we had to celebrate and rejoice.” (Lk.15:31-32)

            The reason then for God’s unconditional love for each and everyone of us is because He created us to be His children, not His servants.  This was confirmed by our Lord Jesus Christ when in teaching us how to pray He began with these words: “Our Father, Who art in heaven” (Matt.6:9)

            This realization of being a CHILD of GOD and not just a Servant fills me with joy and an indescribable  feeling  of gratitude for such a great privilege.  Thinking of God as my Father, Who is  the Supreme Being in this world, on whom everything depends, for without Him nothing can exist, I am at a lost for words to adequately manifest my love in return for His unconditional love for me.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

March 2, 2013