Posts Tagged ‘New Way of Faith’

We Are a Little of Both Sons in the Prodigal Son Story

Sunday, March 31st, 2019

4th Sunday of Lent

Josh 5:9a, 10-12; 2 Cor 5: 17-21; Lk 15: 1-3, 11-32

Deacon Larry Brockman

Today Paul tells us “The old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.”    Yes, Christ brought with him a new way; a new approach.  Gone are the days of a strict accounting according to the letter of the Law; gone are the days of atonement for sin with animal sacrifices and cereal offerings; gone are the days when we believed that we were right with God by virtue of our own works, as if these earthly offerings, symbolic of the work of our hands, could atone to almighty God for our misuse of his gifts to us.   

This old way has been replaced by the ministry of reconciliation that Christ lived on our behalf.  What matters now is not atonement with external sacrifices.  What matters is our belief that God sent his only son to suffer and die for our offenses; and that this is the only acceptable sacrifice in God’s eyes.  What matters is acceptance of God’s message of repentance in our hearts, and a spirit of humble contrition for our past offenses.  What matters to God is that we have turned away from all of our previous selfishness and independence.  What matters most to God is that we live in his Love and obedience from this moment on and stick to that.  And that is what the parable of the prodigal son is all about.  

If we are honest, there is a some of both of the sons in this story in each of us.  Which of us can say that we have never walked away from God’s law, and in the process, walked away from his protection as well?  Which of us can deny that we have tried to have it our way, tried to call all the shots in our lives?  It happens to almost all of us in the prime of life when everything seems to be going our way.  Prosperity and independence of means foster that kind of self-centeredness.  When we feel we are on the top of the world, comfortable, making lots of money, enjoying success, and in control; well, it is then that we mostly just pay lip service to God.  It’s as if we don’t need Him.  

The younger son wanted to be in control; he wanted to do things his way; he didn’t think he needed the Father.  And so, he had it his way.  But it didn’t last long, did it?  His assets and resources were limited; and he squandered them because he lacked wisdom.  So, then came the reality of life; the consequences for living according to his own will.  For the younger son, this meant utter poverty and hunger.  Fortunately, he came to his senses and went back to the Father with humility and contrition.   

Something always goes wrong for us too- the loss of our job, some great financial loss, a personal betrayal, an illness.  And all of a sudden, we are reminded that we really are out of control.  And in fact, we recognize that we never ever were in control.    Just like the prodigal son, the sensible ones amongst us come crawling back to God, recognizing that all that we are and all that we have were gifts from God.  And in all humility, we ask Him for forgiveness and another chance just as the prodigal son did with his Father.   

God loves all of us so much, that he is constantly waiting for our return to him.  He is waiting there with an offer of sonship- signified by the ring the Father places on the son’s finger; with a robe that signifies his willingness to offer us protection against future temptation; and with a special food, the Eucharist, which is the best God can give us- a bit of himself, just like the fatted calf was the best the Father had to offer his son in a feast.   

But there is also a little bit of the older son in each of us too.  Through it all, we often view that we have been faithful compared to others.  We neither have compassion for the failings of others; nor do we feel joy when they repent.  Rather, we are comparing our righteousness to their sinfulness, and we can be upset over the prospect that someone else with their great sin might be rewarded by God more than us.  How quickly do we forget how perilous our own relationship with God is.  Rather, we should recognize that the only thing that should matter to us is whether we are in a right relationship with God. 

Lent is our opportunity to change ourselves for the better.  It is a time to recognize that the old ways must pass away, and the new ways must be embraced.  Lent is a time for us to focus on ourselves and our relationship with God.  Lent is a time for us to be the best of who we can be no matter what our neighbor is doing.