The Parable of the Lost Son. Our Gospel for March 26, 2011

 Lk 15:1-3, 11-32

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them Jesus addressed this parable. “A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’

So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
 

When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any.Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ So he got up and went back to his father.
While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him,
‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry,and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply,
‘Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’
He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’”

Ang Talinghaga ng Alibughang Anak

Lucas 15:1-3,11-32

 ¹¹Sinabi niya: May isang lalaking may dalawang anak na lalaki. ¹²Ang nakakabatang anak ay nagsabi sa kaniyang ama: Ama, ibigay mo sa akin ang bahagi ng mga ari-arian na nauukol sa akin. Binahagi ng ama sa kanila ang kaniyang kabuhayan. 

   
 ¹³Lumipas ang ilang araw, pagkatipon ng lahat ng sa kaniya, ang nakakabatang anak na lalaki ay umalis. Nagtungo siya sa isang malayong lupain at doon nilustay ang kaniyang ari-arian. Siya ay namuhay ng magulong pamumuhay. ¹⁴Ngunit nang magugol na niya ang lahat, nagkaroon ng isang matinding taggutom sa lupaing iyon at nagsimula siyang mangailangan. ¹⁵Humayo siya at sumama sa isang mamamayan ng lupaing iyon. At siya ay sinugo niya sa mga bukirin upang magpakain ng mga baboy. ¹⁶Mahigpit niyang hinangad na kumain ng mga bunga ng punong-kahoy^[a] na ipinakakain sa mga baboy sapagkat walang sinumang nagbigay sa kaniya.

   
 ¹⁷Nang manauli ang kaniyang kaisipan, sinabi niya: Ang aking ama ay maraming upahang utusan. Sagana sila sa tinapay samantalang ako ay namamatay dahil sa gutom. ¹⁸Tatayo ako at pupunta ako sa aking ama. Sasabihin ko sa kaniya: Ama, nagkasala ako laban sa langit at sa iyong paningin. ¹⁹Hindi na ako karapat-dapat na tawaging anak mo. Gawin mo akong isa sa iyong mga upahang utusan. ²⁰Sa pagtayo niya, pumunta siya sa kaniyang ama, ngunit malayo pa siya ay nakita na siya ng kaniyang ama at ito ay nahabag sa kaniya. Ang ama ay tumakbo at niyakap at hinagkan siya.

   
 ²¹Sinabi ng anak sa kaniya: Ama, nagkasala ako laban sa langit at sa iyong paningin. Hindi na ako karapat-dapat na tawaging anak mo.

   
 ²²Gayunman, sinabi ng ama sa kaniyang mga alipin: Dalhin ninyo ang pinakamainam na kasuotan at isuot ninyo sa kaniya. Magbigay kayo ng singsing para sa kaniyang kamay at panyapak para sa kaniyang mga paa. ²³Magdala kayo ng pinatabang guya at katayin ito. Tayo ay kakain at magsaya. ²⁴Ito ay sapagkat ang anak kong ito ay namatay at muling nabuhay. Siya ay nawala at natagpuan. Sila ay nagsimulang magsaya.

   
 ²⁵At ang nakakatanda niyang anak ay nasa bukid. Nang siya ay dumarating at malapit na sa bahay, nakarinig siya ng tugtugin at sayawan. ²⁶Tinawag niya ang isa sa kaniyang mga lingkod. Tinanong niya kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng mga bagay na ito. ²⁷Sinabi ng lingkod sa kaniya: Dumating ang kapatid mo. Nagpakatay ng pinatabang guya ang iyong ama sapagkat ang kapatid mo ay natanggap niyang ligtas at malusog.

   
 ²⁸Nagalit siya at ayaw niyang pumasok. Dahil dito lumabas ang kaniyang ama at namanhik sa kaniya. ²⁹Sumagot siya sa kaniyang ama. Sinabi niya: Narito, naglingkod ako sa iyo ng maraming taon. Kahit minsan ay hindi ako sumalangsang sa iyong utos. Kahit minsan ay hindi mo ako binigyan ng maliit na kambing upang makipagsaya akong kasama ng aking mga kaibigan. ³⁰Nang dumating itong anak mo, nagpakatay ka para sa kaniya ng pinatabang guya. Siya ang nag-aksaya ng iyong kabuhayan kasama ng mga patutot.

   
 ³¹Sinabi ng ama sa kaniya: Anak, lagi kitang kasama at lahat ng akin ay sa iyo. ³²Ang magsaya at magalak ay kailangan sapagkat ang kapatid mong ito ay namatay at muling nabuhay. Siya ay nawala at natagpuan.