I always feel very sorry for the brother who stays at home. I can relate to him. He is the person who always does what is right, always tows the line, always helps where needed, never asking for what he truly desires. “It is my duty,” he says.
Then his brother, the scoundrel who has squandered all his money and lived a life of
debauchery, gets welcomed back with extravagance. I would be angry, too.
However, the elder son's anger blinds him to the reality that his father has always been there and loves him with the same depth and warmth he now shows to the returning brother. The father reminds him, “All that is mine is yours.”
This is the story of so many of us. We have an ongoing relationship with
God that we begin to take for granted. We meet God regularly in prayer, work in his ‘vineyard’, and try to live just and honest lives. We, and this son, have forgotten that God is always with us, loving us.
By noticing each day where God is present, we learn to be grateful and open to God’s ever-present love.
Are there times when I have felt anger towards God for
showing ‘favour’ to someone else?
Am I aware of God’s ongoing presence in my life, and do I express my gratitude to God for this?
Reflections by Ursula van Nierop
