Great Fast Week 3: Prodigal Son

OBJECTIVE

The gospel reading on the third Sunday of the Great Fast (Saint Luke 15:11-32) helps us experience the joy in heaven when one sinner repents. During the Great Fast, we sorrow for repentance; it is a sorrow, which produces repentance without regret, for it leads to salvation. It is a joyful sorrow, one in which we experience the joy of salvation (Psalm 51:12).

INTRODUCTION & HOOK - 5 Minutes

Option One: Pig Scraps

For a few days before class, save your kitchen scraps in a sealable container. Tell the children that you have something in the container that somebody in one of our Lord Jesus Christ's parables really wanted to eat. Let them guess what it is. After they have guessed then open the container and let them see and smell the scraps. Introduce the story saying: "This is food scraps, something farmers may feed to pigs Why would someone want to eat this? Let's listen to the parable and find out . . ."

Option Two: Sing Communion Melody

Sing the first few verses of the communion melody for this week of the Great Fast.

Blessed are those who have mercy,

Who give to the poor and fast and pray,

The Holy Spirit will fill their hearts,

The Son will show them mercy on Judgment Day.

There was a man who had two sons,

Working with him in the house they grew,

After his death all that he had,

Was to be divided between the two.

The younger son said to his father,

Give me now my share of what you own,

Soon after that he took what he received,

And went far away to live on his own.

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

Please read the story of the Prodigal Son, found in Luke 15:11-32.

Memory Verse - "'For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry." Luke 15:24

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 15 Minutes

The Parable of the Lost Son is one of the most well known parables of our Lord Jesus. In the Coptic Church, this parable is read on the 3rd Sunday of Lent. Let us take a deeper look at this parable to discover what the message of our Lord Jesus is to us during this holy time of the year.

We see right from the beginning something very strange. One of the father's children has asked him for this portion of the inheritance. Who among you would dare ask for their inheritance before the passing of their parents? It is an insult to the father to even make such a request. We can also see the selfishness that is intimated in the request. The son is concerned only with his own well-being and satisfaction.

We may think to ourselves that the younger son has completely lost all common sense. However, take a closer look. How often have we acted exactly like this son? Our heavenly Father provides us with everything we need. However, oftentimes for us this is not enough. We desire to break free and make our own path. We feel as though we can be just as well off without God and be masters of our own lives. So we ask Him for our inheritance and leave His side.

Out of His great love and respect for us, He honors our free will and allows us to leave as we wish, even while knowing this will only lead to our own pain and suffering. He knows that sometimes we are unable to learn until we make mistakes on our own and suffer their consequences.

Now we begin to see the fruits of the son's decision and his folly. He quickly spends all of his inheritance and becomes destitute. Now we can see the wisdom of the father He did not keep riches from his son in order to punish him, but rather, to protect him from his own destructive desires. It is the same way with God. He gives us commandments to follow, not to restrict our behavior, but rather as a guide that is for our own benefit. He does not want to see us poor, stripped of all virtue and honor, and feeding on the empty pleasures and desires of the world. He longs for us to come home where He provides all of our needs and more.

Another point to bring up is the lost son did not immediately seek out his father when he became poor, but rather he joined himself to a citizen of the country to look for support. We too, in our times of need, often look to other places for comfort. God gives comfort and rest to those who seek Him. When we refuse to go to Him for help, we may try with all our efforts and become exhausted and still not reach a solution.

Finally, meditate on the last phrase in this passage, "and no one gave him anything." This is perhaps the most important message of this parable. No one is looking for your complete benefit and happiness like God is. We should look to God at all times, because He is willing and eager to help us in every way.

The son takes time to reflect on his situation and realizes just how good he had it in his father's house. He decides he will beg his father for forgiveness so that he may take him back as a servant. His father is so happy to see his son. He asks for a robe and a ring and sandals to be given to his son. He even goes so far as to prepare a celebration for his return.

There is a very important step this son took that we should imitate in our lives. The son "came to himself." He stepped away and took a look at where his decisions had brought him. We also should take time to routinely evaluate our actions and whether they are in line with God's will. Now, during the Great Fast, is an especially apt time to "come to yourself" and meditate on your actions.

The son determined the best course of action was to ask for forgiveness and work as his father's servant. He arose immediately to act on his decision. This is perhaps the most important act the son has done and it is the most important act we can do as well. He acted on his remorse and made true repentance for his actions. Often we are moved by the Holy Spirit, who tells us that we have strayed from God, but we ignore His voice because it makes us feel uncomfortable. Other times, we procrastinate our repentance promising ourselves that we will change tomorrow or confess very soon. This procrastination is one of the cleverest devices of the devil. It is important that we seize our opportunity to repent while we can, while God is speaking to us and calling us to a righteous life.

Finally, the father refused his son's request to hire him as a servant, but rather he treated him with his former honor and rejoiced in his return. God is eagerly awaiting our return as well. He does not wish to punish us for our disobedience, but instead He delights in the fact that we have come back. What is even more amazing is that, although we are deserving of punishment and not worthy of even becoming servants, God accepts us as His children. He deals with us not according to our wickedness, but according to His tender mercy.

It is difficult to comprehend the beauty of this statement. God, who exists before all ages, the Almighty and Creator of the entire universe, calls His creation "friends." God is awaiting our return, so that we may enjoy His Fatherhood and Friendship always.

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 5 Minutes

Share the icon attached below with the children and ask them what they see. Encourage them to take a close look and share their observations. Some things to make sure are covered...

• The father is especially bigger than the son, because he symbolizes the love of our God for us.
• The son's clothes and hair are raggedy to show his distress.
• The servant in the corner is much better groomed than the son. He is holding the new robe and ring that the father wanted for his son (verse 22).
• In the background to the right, you can see a past scene of the son with the pigs.
• In the background to the left, you can see the father's house. He was watching and waiting for his son and ran to meet him a far way (verse 20).

LIFE APPLICATION -5 Minutes

Even if we wander away from our Heavenly Father, and even if we journey to a far country, waste our possession with prodigal living, and become in need to eat the food that swine eat, yet we can look up to our Heavenly Father. The gospel tells us how the father received his returning son, "But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him."

ACTIVITY - 10 Minutes

Option One: Coloring Page

Produce copies of "Coloring Page" in attachments below. Have the children write their names and decorate the paper as they please. Make sure they take it home to practice the memory verse throughout the week.

Option Two: Unscramble

Produce copies of "Unscramble" in attachments below. Have the children write their names and the memory verse at the bottom. For younger grades, have them work in partners. For older grades, you might encourage them with a prize for whoever solves the words first. Make sure they take it home to practice the memory verse throughout the week.

Options Three: Saints Stories

The story of the prodigal son is one that each person can find relatable, even the saints Quiz your students with saints' names that have a vivid prodigal son story and see if they can connect the stories together. Offer candy or prizes for correct answers to encourage participation.

• Examples: King David (after taking Bathsheba as wife), Prophet Jonah (when he tried to run away from preaching in Nineveh), Saint Peter (denying our Lord three times), Saint Paul (when he was persecuting Christians as Saul), Saint Moses the Strong (living a sinful life before becoming a monk), Saint Mary the Egyptian (her sinful life before her isolation in the desert), Saint Pa'esa (before Saint John the Short rescued her)

SERVANT RESOURCES

Treasures of the Fathers, Essay on LACopts.org

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

Now, during the Great Fast, is an especially apt time to "come to yourself" and meditate on your actions, just like the lost son. Schedule a time with Abouna to come to your home and give confession to your family members.

LESSON ATTACHMENTS