The Selfish Son

"But he answered his father. Look, all these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends." (Luke, 15:32)

This parable does not only introduce the prodigal son; with a sharper attention we will also encounter the selfish son.

This veiled teaching from the Master demonstrates the two extremes of personal ingratitude. One lives as a squanderer, the other in avarice. These are the two extremes that enfold the circle of human incomprehension.

Generally speaking, believers only distinguish the son that abandoned the paternal home in order to live in extravagant scandal, turning into the creditor of all the punishments; and few students were able to fix their thoughts on the condemnable conduct of the brother who remained under the family roof, not any less subjected to reprehension.

Observing the paternal generosity, the inferior sentiments that influence him rise to the surface in demonstrations of selfishness.

The vibrations of love that reign in the homes' domestic ambient bother him. He alleges, as does a lazy person, his years of service in the family and invokes, as would a vain believer, the supposed observance of the Divine Law, thus disrespecting the father, incapable of sharing his just contentment.

This type of selfish individual is considered vulgar in everyday life. Before considering the well being and happiness of the others, he rebels and suffers through the indifference that is killing him, and the envy that is poisoning him.

When we read this parable attentively, we ignore which of the sons is the most unfortunate, if it is the prodigal one or the selfish one; but we dare to believe in the immense unhappiness of the second one, as the first already possessed the blessing of remorse in his favor.

XAVIER, Francisco Cândido. Our Daily Bread. By the Spirit Emmanuel. Spititist Alliance for Books, 2003. Chapter 157.