Our priest celebrant today provided me with an insight regarding the celebrated Parable of the Prodigal Son (see Lk 15:11-32), which according to him is also present in Hindi literature.In real life, our understanding of love is limited to “merited love”: we love those who merit our love. The parable challenges us to go beyond that and ask for the “supplement” of love which is called “mercy” – the love of the father for the erring younger son.
Mercy is gratuitous love, love given even if the person does not deserve it. Mercy is maternal or paternal love. It is unconditional love – a real challenge, especially for those of us who has only one way of interpreting the justice of God!
