What Do Temptation & the Lost Son Parable Teach Us?
Elias Bejjani
On the Fourth Sunday of Lent, the Maronite Catholic Church reflects on the Parable of the Lost Son, also known as the Prodigal Son. This powerful parable illustrates the dangers of temptation, the consequences of sin, and the boundless mercy of God.
The younger son, driven by selfishness and impulsive desires, fell into the trap of temptation. He demanded his share of his father’s inheritance and abandoned his home, seeking pleasure and indulgence in a distant land. However, his reckless lifestyle led to ruin. He squandered everything and soon found himself penniless, starving, humiliated, and utterly alone.
In the depths of his suffering, he experienced a moment of clarity—he recognized his folly and longed for his father’s house. With humility and determination, he resolved to return, confess his sins, and ask for forgiveness. To his astonishment, his loving father welcomed him with open arms, rejoicing at his repentance and restoring him to his rightful place as a son.
This parable serves as a guiding light for repentance and divine forgiveness. It teaches us that no matter how far we stray, God’s mercy is always within reach. Our Heavenly Father never abandons us; He patiently waits for our return, ready to forgive and embrace us with infinite love. The Holy Bible urges us to turn to God in times of doubt, weakness, hardship, and injustice:
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)
All we need to do is approach Him with faith, humility, and confidence—He will answer our prayers.
“Whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (Matthew 21:22)
Even when we disobey His teachings and stray from His path, God remains a loving and compassionate Father. Despite our sins, defiance, and ingratitude, He never gives up on our salvation. His love for us is so profound that He sacrificed His only begotten Son, who endured suffering and crucifixion to redeem us. God carries our burdens and strengthens us against the temptations of evil:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
God is waiting for our repentance. Let us return to Him with sincere hearts and seek His forgiveness—before it is too late.
Reading in the Lost Son Parable
The Parable of the Lost Son illustrates sin as a departure from God and the communion with Him, represented by the Church. It is a detachment from the Giver in pursuit of His gifts. The younger son exemplifies this by squandering his share of his father’s wealth in a distant land, forsaking both sonship and familial bonds.
This parable highlights the devastating consequences of sin—losing the dignity of sonship and descending into spiritual, moral, and social decay. The son’s destitution symbolizes this degradation. Repentance begins with self-reflection, acknowledging one’s wretched state before God, feeling remorse for straying, and making a firm decision to return. It involves confessing sins, striving to avoid their causes, and making amends through acts of goodness and mercy—just as the lost son returned to his father.
At its heart, the parable conveys the boundless mercy of the Heavenly Father, who eagerly awaits sinners’ return. The father’s joyous reception of his son echoes the Gospel’s recurring theme: God rejoices over a repentant heart.
The symbols in the parable underscore the blessings of reconciliation:
The lavish robe represents the grace granted at baptism—tarnished by sin but restored through repentance.
The ring signifies restored sonship, affirming divine faithfulness despite human failings and sealing the bond of honesty.
The new shoes symbolize the path of righteousness opened to those who return in repentance.
The feast with the fattened calf reflects the Eucharistic banquet, a symbol of partaking in the divine sacrifice and communion with the Lord.
The elder son, who resents his brother’s reconciliation, represents those who fail to grasp its transformative power. One who has not experienced God’s forgiveness cannot extend it to others. Thus, the Church plays a vital role in guiding individuals toward reconciliation with God, thereby fostering reconciliation among people.
The Parable Of The Lost son
Luke15/11-32: He (Jesus) said, “A certain man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ He divided his livelihood between them. Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. 15:17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants .”’ “He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate; for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ They began to celebrate. “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the servants to him, and asked what was going on. He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’ But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him. But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.
