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Translation
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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
Theophylact of Ohrid
Who is the "fatted... calf," slain and eaten, is not difficult to understand. He is, without doubt, the true Son of God. Since He is Man and took upon Himself flesh, by nature irrational and beast-like, though He filled it with His own perfections, He is therefore called the Calf. This Calf did not experience the yoke of the law of sin, but is a "fatted" Calf, since He was foreordained for this Mystery "before the foundation of the world" (1 Pet. 1:20). …
Irenaeus
But that according to Luke, taking up [His] priestly character, commenced with Zacharias the priest offering sacrifice to God. For now was made ready the fatted calf, about to be immolated for the finding again of the younger son.
Methodius of Olympus
Hence the Word has with deep perception called the souls of the prophets concubines, because He did not espouse them openly, as He did the Church, having killed for her the fatted calf.
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
Or the ring on the hand is a pledge of the Holy Spirit, because of the participation of grace, which is well signified by the finger. (ubi sup.) But the shoes on the feet are the preparation for preaching the Gospel, in order not to touch earthly things. (ubi sup.) Or, the fatted calf is our Lord Himself in the flesh loaded with insults. But in that the Father commands them to bring it, what else is this but that they preach Him, and by declaring Him cause to revive, yet unconsumed by hunger, the bowels of the hungry son? …
Ambrose of Milan
Rightly the flesh of the calf, because it is the priestly victim which was offered for sin. But he introduces him feasting, when he says, Be merry; to show that the food of the Father is our salvation; the joy of the Father the redemption of our sins. He is dead who was. Therefore the Gentiles are not, the Christian is. Here however might be understood one individual of the human race; Adam was, and in him we all were. Adam perished, and in him we all have perished. Man then is restored in that Man who has died. …
Bede
And bring the fattened calf and kill it. The fattened calf is likewise the Lord, but according to the flesh. And well fattened, because his flesh is so richly endowed with spiritual virtue that it suffices for the salvation of the whole world to send forth a sweet odor, namely the aroma of sacrifice, to God, and to intercede for all. However, to bring the calf and kill it is to preach Christ and to intimate his death. Then indeed it is as if he is freshly killed for each one of us when we believe he was killed. …
Translation