The father initiates the restoration of the son by running to the son, falling on his neck, and giving him the kiss of reconciliation.
Jesus' description of the father's actions is a portrait of complete and total grace, of unconditional love that comes to us in the Father sending his Son in the incarnation. Christ chooses those who stand. Here is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
He who hears you pondering in the secret places of the mind runs to you. When you are still far away, He sees you and runs to you. He sees in your heart. He runs, perhaps someone may hinder, and He embraces you.
His foreknowledge is in the running, His mercy in the embrace and the disposition of fatherly love. He falls on your neck to raise one prostrate and burdened with sins and bring back one turned aside to the earthly toward heaven.
Christ falls on your neck to free your neck from the yoke of slavery and hang his sweet yoke upon your shoulders.
St. Ambrose
