We all enjoy a good read. Typical in a good story are compelling characters, a storyline that creates tension and finally an ending that resolves that tension and leaves us feeling satisfied. The ending of a good story is so crucial that sometimes we can’t stand the tension and suspense and so we peak at the ending before digesting all of the interim plot twists. You can imagine how you might feel about a story in which you have invested yourself and then come to find that it has no ending. You are left in a state of tension and unresolved conflict. It could happen that an author dies before placing the finishing touches on his work, much like Schubert and his Symphony No. 8, the Unfinished Symphony. Perhaps the story is just meant to end in an unfinished manner and you as the reader are called upon to finish the story yourself. In such a case, how would you resolve the tensions and conflicts created by the author?

In our parable of the Two Sons, the prodigal son and his elder brother, we are indeed left with an unfinished story. We see the resolution of the dramatic conversion of the younger son, his reconciliation with the father and the celebration that ensues but we are not told whether the elder son is able to overcome his bitterness, accept the father’s invitation and join in the celebration of life. Perhaps Jesus intentionally left out the ending because the end to this story had not yet been written.

Jesus tells these parables in Luke, chapter 15, in response to the Pharisees and scribes who began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Luke tells us that he addresses these parables to them. (Luke 15,1ff) The parables acquaint us with God who is a merciful Father and who takes great joy in finding what was lost and restoring things to wholeness. Jesus reveals to us the merciful Father who as St. Paul will affirm is rich in mercy: “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved), raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph 2,4-7) Jesus welcomes sinners because God, the Father, welcomes sinners. As Jesus often affirms, he has come to do the will of the Father, to see him is to see the Father and he and the Father are One. Jesus identifies himself with the Father. If the Father is merciful then he must be merciful.
The final parable that Jesus tells the scribes and Pharisees about the two sons and the extravagantly merciful father is left unfinished. The parable is an invitation to write a happy ending to the story by being reconciled to the Father and entering into the celebration of eternal life. As St. Paul would say, “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2Cor 5,20) The perfect ending to the story is to become merciful like the Father and leave behind all anger, resentment and bitterness and discover the joy in celebrating new life with the sinners. “Be merciful, just as you Father is merciful.” (Luke 6,36)

Perhaps at times we can become angry, bitter, complaining and resentful toward God the Father. We see God as an enforcer of the rules who never allows us to have fun with our friends. We have lost sight of the goodness of God’s grace: “My son, you are here with me always; everything that I have is yours.” (Luke 15,31) We can withdraw from the Father’s house and become judgmental and envious of others. Leniency, tolerance and compassion seem only like weakness and capitulation. How will we write the ending to our story? Can we be merciful like the Father is merciful? Can we find joy in celebrating with others the finding, restoration and return of lost dignity? “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.” (John 15,9f) The story is only complete when our joy is complete.