Christianity: Parables Flashcards
The prodigal son
(Know this well enough for exams)🔴
A father has two sons. The younger son asked his father for his share of the inheritance he would receive and set off on his travels. He spent all his money on gambling and prostitutes and ended up poor. He had to work on a farm and ate what the pigs ate - pods. He realised his mistake and went back to his father who was happy to see him. The son begged for forgiveness and the father threw him a party. The farmer’s other son was angry as he does all the work yet doesn’t get a party thrown for him even though he does all the work. His father said ‘your brother was once lost and has been found. This is a moment to celebrate.’ The older son understood and joined the celebration with a feast of a fattened calf.
The prodigal son characters representation🔴
Father = God
Where they lived = the Church
Departure of the prodigal son = people leaving God’s way
Pods = sins
The prodigal son’s return = sinners who realise they were wrong so come back to God
The eldest son = people who think they are righteous
The meeting between the father and son = the confession
Fattened calf = the Eucharist
The parable if the wise and foolish builders.🔴
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the steam rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the steam rise, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great cash.”
Moral: if you build your life on the word of God then you will be strong. If you build your life on the sand, your life will be meaningless.
Explain the parable of the sower.
A farmer went out to sow his seeds. Some seeds fell on the path, some fell in the rocks, some fell on the thorns and some fell on the good soil.
The seeds that fell on the path was eaten by birds. The seeds that fell in rocks didn’t get any moisture so withered away. The seeds that fell on the thorns got choked by them. The seeds that fell in the good soil grew healthily.
