JESUS HAS EARLIER TOLD OF THE LOST SHEEP AND THE LOST COIN, AND IN TODAY’S GOSPEL READING WE HAVE A LOST SON. AS IT HAPPENS, EACH OF THESE LOST ONES IS ULTIMATELY FOUND. BUT THIS LAST SITUATION IS PERHAPS THE MOST MEMORABLE FOR US BECAUSE IT IS SHOWS INSIGHT INTO THE WORLD OF FAMILIES, SOMETHING WE ALL KNOW ABOUT. IT IS THE STORY OF THE THE PRODIGAL SON WHO FINALLY COMES HOME TO A WAITING FATHER. IT IS AN ACCOUNT OF AN ADVENTUROUS BOY WHO TOOK HIS INHERITANCE AND WENT OFF SQUANDERING IT ON LAVISH LIVING, ONLY TO HIT THE WALL. THERE IS IN THIS FAMILY AN OLDER SON AS WELL, RESENTFUL BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN THE RESPONSIBLE ONE, TAKING CARE OF THE WORK AT HOME, FEELING ANGRY AND UNAPPRECIATED. LASTLY, THERE IS THEIR FATHER WHO LOVES BEYOND ALL BELIEF, AND IS DEVOTED TO HIS TWO SONS WITHOUT RESERVATION, GREETING THE RETURN OF HIS YOUNGEST SON WITH AN EXTRAVAGANT CELEBRATION.

I PONDER ON WHY THIS PARABLE TOUCHES US AS DEEPLY AS IT DOES. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT IS BECAUSE WE ALL FIND PARTS OF OURSELVES REFLECTED IN THE MIDST OF IT, AT SOME LEVEL, AT SOME POINT.

I AM PARTICULARLY CAPTURED BY IT AS I REMEMBER OUR FAMILY AS WE WERE BECOMING ADULTS. I HAVE TWO BROTHERS, BILL IS THE OLDER, KENT IS TWO YEARS YOUNGER THAN HE. TO THIS DAY, BILL IS THE ONE WHO HAS TAKEN CARE OF THINGS. HE GRADUATED FROM THE COLLEGE WHERE MY FATHER TAUGHT, SERVED IN THE ARMY, AND CAME BACK TO A RESPECTABLE JOB. HE RAISED A FAMILY, AND ULTIMATELY MANAGED MY PARENT’S AFFAIRS IN THEIR LAST DAYS. KENT, ON THE OTHER HAND, FLUNKED OUT OF THAT SAME COLLEGE HIS FRESHMAN YEAR, RARELY CRACKING A BOOK, AND RAISING ALL KIND OF DUST WITH HIS PRANKS AND MISDEMEANORS. I REMEMBER THAT THAT YEAR WAS NOT MUCH FUN IN OUR FAMILY. MY FATHER I SENSE WAS HUMILIATED BY KENT’S BEHAVIOR. AND WHEN IT WAS OVER, WITHOUT MUCH APOLOGY, KENT JOINED THE COAST GUARD AND WAS STATIONED ON AN ICEBREAKER OFF GREENLAND FOR SEVERAL YEARS. ON HIS RETURN, HE CAME BACK, ASKING FOR WORK. I WAS RATHER AMAZED WHEN ALL WAS FORGIVEN. AFTER THAT MY FATHER OFFERED LOVINGLY TO SUPPORT HIM THROUGH COLLEGE AND ON TO A PHD. AS THE OLDEST CHILD IN THE FAMILY YOU CAN IMAGINE WHERE I STOOD WATCHING ALL THIS.

SHOPPING AT TARGET THE OTHER DAY I SPOTTED A BARGAIN, THE DVD OF THE FILM “A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT.” WE WATCHED IT THAT NIGHT WITH PLEASURE. DO YOU REMEMBER IT, SET IN MONTANA WHERE FLY FISHING IS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES? THE FATHER, A PRESBYTERIAN CLERGYMAN, HAS TWO SONS, NORMAN AND PAUL. (PAUL WAS PLAYED BY BRAD PITT.) NORMAN, THE OLDER SON WAS THE STEADY ONE. PAUL WAS DARING AND FUN LOVING AND WAS DRAWN INTO DRUGS AND GAMBLING. ALTHOUGH PAUL WAS THE BETTER FLY FISHERMAN, PAUL NEVER SETTLED DOWN AND IN THE END WAS BEATEN AND KILLED BUY SOME OF THE PEOPLE TO WHOM HE WAS INDEBTED. THERE IS A MOVING SCENE WHEN THIS RIGHTEOUS, PRESBYTERIAN FATHER IS PREACHING AFTER PAUL’S DEATH. HE SAYS, ACKNOWLEDGING PAUL’S FAILINGS, “WE CAN STILL LOVE THEM. WE CAN LOVE COMPLETELY WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING.”

THIS THEME TELLING OF FAMILY RELATIONS HAS A UNIVERSAL QUALITY TO IT. AND PERHAPS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DIMENSION FOR US IS THAT IN THIS PARABLE JESUS IS POINTING TO GOD’S AMAZING LOVE FOR US. GOD’S LOVE FOR THE HUMAN FAMILY AND THE LOVE OF THIS FATHER FOR HIS SONS SEEM TO BELONG TOGETHER. IT IS A LOVE WHICH IS CONSTANT, IT IS UNCONDITIONAL, IT IS IRRATIONAL, IT IS IN SOME SENSES IRRESPONSIBLE. WHO WOULD GIVE HALF THEIR INHERITANCE TO AN UNTRIED YOUNGSTER WHO HAD NO SENSE OF WHAT MONEY WAS ABOUT?

I HAVE HEARD OR READ, AS HAVE YOU, MANY SERMONS ON THIS PARABLE OVER THE YEARS. A PARTICULARLY MEMORABLE ONE CLAIMED SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT “THE FATTED CALF NEVER HAD A CHANCE.” THIS CAME TO MIND AS I WAS PREPARING THIS WEEK, AND I TRIED TO RECALL THE DETAILS. NO LUCK, BUT THE IDEA HAS STUCK WITH ME, THE FACT THAT THE FATTED CALF, READY TO PROVIDE A FABULOUS STEAK AND RIBS DINNER, WAS ALWAYS IN THE BARN READY FOR A PARTY AT THE MOMENT THE SON RETURNED. IT ILLUSTRATES TO US THE HOPES OF THIS FATHER. HE NEVER GAVE UP, HE ALWAYS PLANNED TO HAVE THIS WONDROUS CELEBRATION, HE HELD NO JUDGMENT AGAINST HIS SON. AND WHAT’S MORE, HE LOVED A PARTY. I THINK OF THIS FATHER AS ONE WHO, WHEN ONE FATTED CALF WAS EATEN, ALWAYS MADE SURE THERE WAS ANOTHER ON HAND TO TAKE ITS PLACE, JUST IN CASE!

SOME OF YOU WERE AT THE MINISTRY FAIR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. OUR BISHOP IN HIS INTRODUCTORY TALK MENTIONED THIS PARABLE AS HE WAS DISCUSSING HOW HIS THINKING ON SCRIPTURE CHANGED OVER TIME. HE ALSO INCLUDED REFERENCE TO IT IN HIS BOOK, “THIS FAR BY GRACE.” HE SAYS, “FOR MANY YEARS I THOUGHT THIS PASSAGE WAS ABOUT A WAYWARD SON WHO SQUANDERED HIS INHERITANCE ON LOOSE LIVING, CAME TO HIS SENSES, REPENTED AND WENT HOME AND APOLOGIZED TO DADDY. NOW I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A STORY ABOUT A LOVING FATHER,” WHO REALLY NEVER LET THE BOY GO.

I ,TOO, HAVE COME TO SEE THAT THE PULL IN THIS PARABLE IS TO COME DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE FATHER, A PERSON WHO HOLDS AS THE FOCUS OF HIS LIFE THE LOVE OF HIS TWO SONS. IT’S INCREDIBLE, CRAZY, IMPRACTICAL AND UNREASONABLE. HE THINKS NOTHING OF HIMSELF, ONLY FOR THE BOYS. AND I REALIZE ONLY GOD CAN LOVE THAT WAY. ONLY GOD CAN GIVE THE GIFT OF HIS SON AND HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS. THIS DEATH IS ABSOLUTE PROOF OF HIS UNBELIEVABLE LOVE FOR US.

AND YET THIS PARABLE INVITES US TO THINK ABOUT OUR LOVE FOR OTHERS. AND I REALIZE THAT GOD’S LOVE FOR US IS NOT ONLY FOR US TO RECEIVE IT, BUT FOR US TO GIVE IT TO OTHERS. TO SAY THAT GOD LOVES WITH SUCH EXCESS IS TO SAY THAT WE CAN AS WELL. GOD’S AMAZING LOVE FOR US OPENS UP ALL KINDS OF POSSIBILITIES FOR US TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

WE REMEMBER AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS CHAPTER THE PHARISEES HAVE SCORN FOR JESUS WHO SITS WITH SINNERS AND TAX COLLECTORS. DO WE RESPOND IN THAT WAY, WITH SCORN TO THOSE WHO ARE UNLIKABLE, OR UNCLEAN, OR UNRULY? ARE WE ABLE TO SHOW THE GENEROSITY AND PLEASURE AT RETURN OF BOTH THE WAYWARD SON AND THE FAITHFUL ONE, THE ONE WHO BALKS AT THE IDEA OF SHARING IN THE PARTY? IT WILL BE GOD IN OUR MIDST WHO SHOWS US HOW THIS IS DONE, IF WE WILL BUT INVITE HIM TO LEAD US.

The Rev. Ruth T. Healy