Luke 15:20-32
Let’s continue to remember to pray for Jim and Marty – Debbie and Julie also!
“Notice what you notice.” All too often it seems that I can see the Pharisees’ perspectives when they have difficulties with Jesus. And now today I find myself sympathizing with the older brother. He was probably very angry at his younger brother for demanding his share of the family wealth and horribly offended when his father fulfilled the younger son’s request. So the younger son’s return was not a happy time for him. Even the father’s pleas for the older son to receive the younger might have fallen deaf on my ears. I think I hold resentments too closely within me.
But I also have an unusual perspective on the younger son. For a couple of years (at least two Christmases) one of my (step-) brothers went missing. I can distinctly remember my (step-) mother crying each of those Christmases. Finally another of my brothers found hints of where he might be and went to look for him. He found him and persuaded him to return to the family. He came back to the family some months later, but was never comfortable. He felt like we in the family hated him for his taking off and staying out of touch. He had not “robbed the family’s resources”, but his absence had had a profound effect on his relationships with each of the rest of us. I suspect the younger son shared some of those same feelings. He returned completely repentant, but I doubt that the father’s love and the many “gifts” bestowed to the younger son could overcome his guilt at what he had put the family through. He was probably as afraid to meet his older brother as his older brother was angry at his return.
I agree with Jim R. that it’s a powerful story – probably my favorite parable. There are so many Biblical truths we can bring to bear – especially God’s love and mercy. And even though Jesus told this as a parable, a story, we all know that a similar reality has happened thousands / millions of times in families across the USA and around the world. “Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Your love.” (A prayer from my Catholic childhood…)
Slava Bohu!