May the mumbling commence!
Stories are powerful. They can move people in ways that nothing else can. Today’s scripture reading from Luke includes perhaps one of Jesus’ most well known parables. It is often called the parable of the prodigal sons, but it actually involves two prodigal sons and their compassionate father. Read it below from Luke chapter fifteen:
Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father.
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'" (Verses 11-32)
Both the sons were prodigal. The younger son acted on his desires. He wanted what his father could give him and nothing else. He did not want the supervision or the responsibility. He wanted the high life that the father could give without any strings attached.
The older son wanted the same things but never acted on his desires. He was jealous of his younger brother’s freedom of living, but he did not see the squalor that resulted from that excess – the degradation of caring for pigs (unclean animals!). His was a grudging obedience never believing in the love of the father.
Both sons are prodigals in different ways. Which way is most like me? Like you? Both ways attempt to destroy relationship. Did you notice how the father and the elder son talked about the younger son? “This son of yours.” “This brother of yours.” With compassion, God the Father invites us back into relationship.
Will we accept the invitation? We do not know if the elder son accepted the invitation or not. That is because it is our decision to make. Will we deny relationship and squelch the attitude of gratitude? Or will we join the party in the family of God?
It is a decision we make daily. How will we choose?
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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