THE PRODIGAL SON

It is better to have a practical experience of mercy oneself so that it becomes easy to give it to others. As you go through the following narration you will notice how I experienced mercy from my father which finally helped me relate to God as a merciful and a loving Father.

To understand the following incident, it is important and necessary that you have a good background of who I was then. From my childhood I was filled with a lot of gusto and energy, was very enthusiastic to experiment and do new things. Many times I was misunderstood by my school teachers. Due to their complaints my parents were unhappy, and I would get grilled at home.

This incident occurred when I was in the 7^th or the 8^th standard. As usual I was very talkative in the class and I had got bad remarks in my earlier classes. This time two of my friends along with me were kept back after school because we were talking and fooling in the class. The supervisor of our section was really strict and when she wanted to show her seriousness, she would open her big eyes and give an angry look.

She was taking tuition for the 10^th standard students and we were sitting in the same class. I informed my friends that I won’t be coming in the jeep because the teacher had called me. We were seated before her completing our homework that the teacher had given. One of my friend’s parents came and since he had finished his work he was sent home. Likewise happened with the other one, I was left alone and was really beginning to get nervous. I knew in my heart of hearts that when my dad would come to take me home he would question me angrily and maybe even thrash me on reaching home.

I was waiting when all of this would get over and I would come back to a normal situation. I was sitting on the steps in front of the Don Bosco Shrine in Matunga and there came my dad. It was around 6pm. I was filled with mixed feelings when he came, I was happy when he came in with the scooter but was also nervous and scared. I was mentally numb when he started coming towards me. In my mind I had already rehearsed myself getting a slap. However to my utter surprise, the first thing he asked me was,” You might be hungry, do you want a samosa?” I was dumbstruck; it was like the father of the prodigal son bringing a robe for him.

However I wasn’t hungry because of the fear I had. He gently asked me why I was there in school for so long. I explained to him, repeating the word ‘sorry’ again and again. He said, “All make mistakes, if you don’t make mistakes, then who; the pigs will make mistakes?” At the end of all this I was stunned and on the way back home, I was thanking God.

God is a merciful Father, yes, a thousand times I would say because I’ve not only read the  parables in the Bible, or the stories in the books but have also practically experienced it through a human being who is so close to me.