The Prodigal Son.

The parable of the prodigal son is one of Jesus’ most profound teachings, often focusing on the younger son who left home, wasted his inheritance, and returned in repentance. But there is another equally important character: the older son, who never physically left but was just as lost—perhaps even more so.

While the younger son wandered in the world, the older son wandered in his mind. He never ran away, never rebelled, and never made a mess of his life. Instead, he stayed home, worked hard, followed the rules—and yet, when his lost brother returned and was met with love and celebration, he was furious.

“He wasted everything and gets a feast, while I have worked so hard and never received anything!” He cried with anger.

His resentment reveals a deep misunderstanding: he believed he had to earn his place, his father’s love, and his share of joy.

The older son’s mistake was not in leaving home, but in believing he was missing something that was already his.

The father responds with a powerful truth:

“My son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.”

The older son had never lacked anything. He had his father’s love, his inheritance, his home—yet he felt deprived. Why? Because in his mind, he saw himself as a servant working for a reward, rather than a son living in abundance.

This is the same trap we fall into when we believe that we must struggle, sacrifice, or prove ourselves worthy of love, happiness, or even God.

The ego thrives on comparison. It whispers: “If someone else is receiving love and abundance, it means you are getting less.” It convinces us that we must keep proving our worth, following the rules, and working hard to be deserving of happiness.

But the father’s words in the parable completely dissolve this illusion. The truth is:

Everything we seek is already ours. We have never been deprived. We just didn’t realize it.

The younger son had to physically return home to remember who he was. The older son had never left, yet he still needed to “come home” in his mind. His true awakening would not come from receiving a feast or a reward, but from realizing:

He was never in lack.

He never had to earn love.

He was already home.

We, too, often act like the older son. We look at others and wonder why they seem to receive so much, while we work hard, sacrifice, and try to do everything right. We fall into the illusion that we must deserve love, when in reality, we already are Love.

Jesus told this story to remind us: There is nothing to earn. Nothing to prove. Nothing to fight for.

We are, and always have been, in the Father’s house.

The moment we stop looking for justice, fairness, and rewards, and instead recognize that we have always been loved, we will finally be home—without ever having left.

With love and light,

G.