The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: S. Luke
Symbolically , S. Augustine ( Quæst. Evang. lib. ii. q. 33) interprets the words “ before thee ” to mean “ in the inmost conscience.” For the sinner ought to blush even for the sins which he commits in secret, and for the conscience which he defiles, renders dumb, and hands over to Satan.
Ver. 19. — And am no more worthy to be called thy son. Because, says S. Jerome, I preferred to serve idols, and to be the slave of vices. “ He does not presume,” says Bede, “ to ask to be treated as a son,” because, adds Euthymius, “ his life had been unworthy of such a father.”
Make me as one of thy hired servants . I have forfeited my position as son, but cast me not out of thy presence, suffer me to take the lowest place in thy household, says Euthymius, that I may make open confession of my sin. For formerly those who had been put to public penance were not allowed to enter the church, but knelt without, humbly asking the prayers and the pardon of all, as S. Jerome tells us that Fabiola did.
These, says S. Augustine (lib. ii. Quæst. Evang. q. 33), are the words of one who is turning his thoughts to repentance, not of one actually repentant. For he is not addressing his father, but only determining what to say when he meets him. “ But,” says Primasius, commenting on Rev. iv., “as the smoke precedes the flame, so must there be confession of sin before the fires of faith and love are kindled in the sinner’s heart. Hence the smoke bursts into flame as the fire gains power and intensity ; so in like manner confession of sin through force of contrition burns up and becomes aflame with love.”
Ver. 20. — But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him. Before he had given any expression to his penitence, his father prevented him.
See here God’s wonderful loving-kindness towards penitent sinners. “ He is wont,” says Titus, “in His mercy and pity to anticipate the repentance of men;” and, adds S. Gregory of Nyssa, “when he resolved to repent, his father was reconciled to him.”
And had compassion , was moved with pity at the sight of his misery.
And ran. In excess of joy, says Euthymius, he waited not for him to draw nigh, but went to meet him, running and thereby showing the greatness of his love.
And fell on his neck , and kissed him. “To fall on his neck,” says S. Augustine, “ is to lower to his embrace the arm of God, which is Christ ; to give the kiss is to comfort by the word of God’s grace unto the hope of pardon of sin.” But S. Chrysostom says, “ The mouth is kissed as that from which the heartfelt confession of the penitent proceeded.”
The embrace and the kiss are here set forth as the tokens of pardon and reconciliation, and of especial love and goodwill, as well as of the exultation and joy with which God and His angels regard a sinner that repenteth.
Ver. 21. — And the son said unto him , Father , I have sinned , &c. He desires, says the Interlinear, that to be done by grace, which he acknowledges himself to be unworthy of by any merit of his own. (See above on ver. 18.) He omits to say, “make me as one of thy hired servants,” either because his father, out of love and joy, had cut short his confession, by bidding the attendants “ bring forth the best robe,” or because his father’s embrace and kiss had encouraged him to hope that again he might be acknowledged as a son. “ He does not add,” says S. Augustine (Lib. ii. Quæst. Evang. q. 33), “what he had before determined to say, for after the kiss of his father he most nobly disdained to become a hireling.” Titus, however, is of opinion that the words were actually uttered, although S. Luke has not recorded them.
Ver. 22. — But the father said to his servants , &c. “The servants,” says Theophylact, “ are the angels or the priests,” or, according to S. Augustine, the preachers, for by their ministry God reconciles sinners to Himself.
The best robe. The “ first ” robe, that which he was wont to wear before he left his father’s house, for from the repetition of the article τὴν πρώτην, it is clear that some particular garment is indicated.
Hence, in the lives of the Fathers, it is related that a certain Bishop saw in a vision two women who were sinners, clothed, after having made sacramental confession, in white garments and radiant with light. He inquired the cause of this from an angel that appeared unto him, and was told that the women, by their confession and tears, had rendered themselves worthy to be numbered with the elect.
And put a ring on his handy and shoes on his feet . A ring of gold, i.e. the mark of a free and rich or noble man, as also are shoes, for slaves go barefoot, but citizens are shod.
Ver. 23. — And bring hither the fatted caff. rw that particular calf which I ordered to be fattened for such a solemn occasion as this.
All these things, the robe, the ring, the shoes, and the fatted calf, show the delight of the father, i.e. the joy of God and His angels at the conversion of a sinner, and teach us that by the great mercy of God, a penitent is restored to the same, or even a better position than that which he held before he fell into sin.
But with S. Augustine, S. Jerome, and Bede, we may attach a separate meaning to each.
So we may take the best robe to mean not innocence, for this once lost cannot be regained, but first grace and love. Thus the Interlinear interprets it as, “ the robe of the Holy Spirit, which is an earnest of immortal life.” According to S. Ambrose, it is “the cloke of wisdom ; ” but S. Augustine considers it “ the dignity which Adam lost.”
By the ring we may understand the express image of God, which some see in one virtue, some in another.
“ The ring,” says Bede, “ is the seal of our unfeigned faith,” or, according to S. Chrysostom in the Catena, the symbol of the seal of salvation, or rather, the badge of betrothment, the pledge of nuptials with Christ. It is “ the signet of faith with which the promises are sealed in the hearts of the faithful.” Gloss. “ The seal of Christ’s image, and impress of the truth.” Interlinear. “ The pledge of the Holy Spirit, because of the participation of grace, which is well signified by the finger.” S. Augustine. See Gen. xli. 42 ; Jer. xxii.
“ On his hand,” i.e. by his working, that his faith may be made manifest by his works, and that his works may be established by his faith. Interlinear.
By “ the shoes on his feet ” is typified promptitude in the exercise of acts of virtue, particularly as regards the preaching of the gospel ; for those who are converted greatly desire the conversion of others. Or, as S. Augustine explains, “The shoes are the preparation for preaching the gospel, in order not to touch earthly things,” that, says S. Chrysostom, “a man may walk firmly along the slippery path of the world”; the course of our life is called in Scripture a foot (pes).
Again, “ the shoes ” are the examples of good men, which, as it were, leave footprints, to enable us to follow in their steps.
“ The fatted calf” is a figure of Christ, who in the Eucharist feeds the just, and those sinners who are penitent, with His body and His blood; comforting and soothing in a wonderful manner those who have been newly converted as well as those who have long since repented.
Hence the Interlinear says, “ Christ is the fatted calf abounding in every spiritual virtue, so that He suffices for the salvation of the whole world.” And S. Chrysostom : “ Christ is called the calf, because of the sacrifice of His body, and fatted, because He made satisfaction for all.” And Augustine : “ The fatted calf is our Lord Himself in the flesh, loaded with insults. The father commands it to be brought, i.e . commands Christ to be preached. He also bids them kill it, in allusion to the death of Christ. For He is then killed to each man who believes him slain.”