WEDNESDAY-1st Week of Advent:Year- C

Gospel: Luke 15:29-37: Jesus cures many and multiplies the loaves.

I Reading: Isaiah 25:6-10: The Lord invites us to his banquet and wipes away the tears from every cheek.

The Parable of the Older Son: The Self-Righteous Religionist, 15:25-32

The second and the older son of the father represents the self-righteous religionist. He feels and believes he is acceptable to God. In this parable Jesus pointed out five faults with the self-righteous religionist. (see for more discussion Lk 11:37-54;18:9-12;Rom 2:17-29)

1. Fault 1: He was in the field away from home (v.25-27)

2. Fault 2: He shut himself out (v.28)

3. Fault 3: He was self-righteous (v.29)

a. He claimed to be religious

b. He claimed to be moral and just

c. He felt he deserved more, that he was not recognized enough

4. Fault 4: He lacked compassion and the understanding of sinners (v.30)

5. Fault 5: He failed to see two critical facts (v.31-32)

a. He had the same blessings available

b. His brother was truly saved

Thought: The older son (self-righteous religionist) did not believe in the words of his father, “Everything I have is yours.” What he has to do is repent, turn from trusting the field of religion, and enter God’s house. He simply needs to believe in and trust the love of God. He has to stop opposing God’s love to the prodigal sinner and come in himself.

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