The Prodigal Son
/ The Prodigal Son
On the story of the Prodigal Son by Saint Justin Popovic

Only the gospel of Christ fully knows the mystery of sin and the problem of sin and everything which hides within it. The prodigal son of the Gospel is the perfect example of the repentant sinner. The Gospel shows us that man, through his free will, can share life with Earth and with Heaven, with Satan and with God, with paradise and with hell. Sin gradually strips man of everything divine in him, paralyzes his ever divine inclination and desire, until it finally throws him into the bosom of Satan. And then man reaches the plight of grazing the swine of his master, the Devil. The swine are passions, which are always greedy and gluttonous. In such a life, the unfortunate man is nothing more than insane. In a shocking parable of the Gospel, the Lord says about the prodigal son, “he cam to himself,” (Luke 15: 17). How did he come to himself He came to himself through repentance. Through sin man becomes mad, insane. Every sin, even the most seemingly insignificant one, is always an insanity of the soul. Through repentance, man comes to his sense becomes complete again, comes to himself. Then he cries out loud to God, runs to Him, and cries towards Heaven, “Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight” (Luke 15: 21). And what is the heavenly Father doing? He is always infinitely merciful upon seeing His child in a state of repentance. He has compassion for him, runs, embraces him, and kisses him. He orders His heavenly hosts, the holy angels: “Bring forth the best robe and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: for this is My son who was dead, and is alive again; and he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.” (Luke 15: 22-24) And this is taking place for each and everyone of us, and for the sake of every sinner who repents. Namely, joy and happiness is taking place in the heaven of the All-merciful Lord and God, and together with Him, all of the holy angels.

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Saint Steven's Serbian Orthodox Cathedral
1621 West Garvey Avenue
Alhambra, CA 91803
 

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Saint Steven's Serbian Orthodox Cathedral
1621 West Garvey Avenue
Alhambra, CA 91803

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