Many people will be found in the church, who have faithfully remained “at home,” yet their hearts are far from the Father. Such people resemble the elder son—he was at home, but lost. He lived in the Father’s house, yet spent his days out in the field—far from the Father—with a heart full of bitterness, pride, and self-righteousness. He fulfilled his duties, but with the mindset of a servant: not out of love, but out of compulsion and resentment; not with devotion and willingness, but with constant complaints.

There are people who are in the church—their spiritual home—but lack true joy. The absence of joy in their hearts fills them with doubt and envy, especially when they see joy in others. Inside, they are full of discontent, never satisfied, never feeling appreciated, particularly when comparing themselves with others and believing they are overlooked. Instead of turning to the Father in such moments, they turn to others, and afterward are filled with anger, blaming and dishonoring both the Father and the members of the household. They are in the Father’s house, yet they do not know the Father’s boundless love and mercy, His compassion and kindness.

To remain in the house but far from the Father means to live as if God’s love is earned by works. It means rejecting the reality of grace—forgetting that our existence and salvation do not depend on our works, but on the Father’s unconditional and limitless love. To remain in the house without joy means refusing to join the Father’s banquet of joy, choosing instead to stay outside—in bitterness, loneliness, and endless complaints.

Just as with the younger son, the Father also came out to meet the elder son and pleaded with him to come inside. He invited him to enter and rejoice, reminding him that everything already belonged to him. Today, too, the Father calls us and pleads with us to lay aside our bitterness and self-righteousness, and to come to His table of grace, to join in the banquet of joy.

Beloved, let us not remain outside. Let us enter into joy. Even today the Father comes out to meet us, saying:

“My son, my daughter, you are always with me. Everything that is mine is yours. Join in my joy.”