Lent 4C Luke 15 The Jealous Older Brother and the Loving Father

I don't think this parable should be called the Prodigal Son. I would like to rename it, "the Jealous Older Brother." I remember the first time a teacher pointed this out to me...that the message might not just be the father who forgives and the son who returns. There is the older brother who sits home and gets angry when the spoiled brat returns. The parable never says the older brother changes his mind. Perhaps the message to most of us sitting in the pew that we are the older brothers. Are we envious because God is generous? Yes. What about all the years I gave to God while "They" were out sinning? Don't they count for something? No. Not really. Its about God's love and forgiveness...not about our righteousness.