“I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
In chapter 15 of Luke we were introduced to 3 parables on the theme of “lost and found”. The first tells of the shepherd leaving 99 sheep in the wilderness to seek the one that is lost and the joy of finding that one lost sheep. The second tells of the woman who lost the one silver coin and who upon finding it called together her friends and neighbours to rejoice with her. The third parable, today’s reading, deals with the prodigal son. This parable is by far the most complex, nuanced and didactic of three.
There are many lessons in this rich reading. However, I wish to focus upon the father and his relationship with his two sons. We are told that the younger son demanded his inheritance from the father, and the father divided his living between them. We know at that time that Jewish society was patriarchal and that children were obliged to show respect to their parents. Indeed, Deuteronomy chapter 21, states that if a man has a rebellious and stubborn son who will not obey the voice of his father or mother, and if his parents complain to the Elders that the child was stubborn and rebellious, then the child would be stoned to death. Moreover, Jewish law made all property under the control of the father. Yet, this father met his son’s rebelliousness and disregard of his authority by agreeing to a division of his property. The father did not say “go away”, nor complain to the authorities, but responded to the selfish and immature demand of the younger son to receive the father’s property, although he was not entitled to a share until the death of the father, and then if the father had willed that it be so.
The elder son demonstrates a different attitude to the father. Upon learning that his younger brother had been found, instead of rejoicing he became angry and refused to go into the house to meet his brother and to share in the joy of father. The elder son is self-righteous. As far as he’s concerned he’s done the right thing by the father and in fact says, and notice he is disrespectful in not referring to his father directly – “lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots; you kill for him the fatted calf!” The eldest son saw his relationship with his father as one of obedience under the law – just as the Pharisees saw their relationship with God. Here there is no suggestion of forgiveness of his younger brother because the younger brother had transgressed the law as such he should be punished. To the older brother his younger brother was cut off from him. That is why he says to his father when referring to his younger brother as “that son of yours”.
The attitude of the elder son brings to mind the parable of the labourers in the vineyard referred to in chapter 20 of Matthew’s gospel. You will recall Christ made reference to the kingdom of heaven as being like a householder who went out throughout the day hiring labourers for his vineyard. The labourers who had been hired and had served from the early morning were indignant that they received the same reward of as those who had only worked for a short time. This same resentment is manifested in this parable by the elder son to the younger. As far as the elder son was concerned he had been loyal to the father and loyalty demanded to be rewarded, rather than the younger son’s disobedience whose return was seen by the father as the cause for joyous celebration.
Both sons each in their own way reject the father. The father, instead of reacting, acts to embrace each of his children so they can have full union with him and with each other. The father demonstrates patience, compassion, love, and an earnest desire to restore a full relationship with each of his sons so they are reconciled with him.
Let us look at how the father does this. When he sees his younger son approaching from a distance, he makes the first move. He runs to embrace and kiss his son. He does not wait for any explanation. He acts as the presence of the son is sign enough that his lost child has now been found. This is how God acts with each one of us. God does not need to be told “father I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants”. God knows that if you turn to him you have repented, and like the father in this parable, God restores you to full sonship. By the father running to the son, he forgoes his dignity as in the East a man loses his dignity when he runs. By kissing his son he demonstrates forgiveness. By robing his son he demonstrates reconciliation. By putting a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet he demonstrates that he is prepared to restore the son to authority.
When he looks to restore his relationship with his elder son he makes it clear that what material goods he has belongs to the elder son. “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.” Here, the father seeks to reconcile his older son by reminding him that he should have compassion because his “brother was dead and is alive: he was lost and is found.”
This gospel reading makes it clear that repentance is the most important and indispensable way to return to the kingdom of God. All God needs from each one of us is a sign that we are prepared to alter our previous way of living by acknowledging that it is harmful, and an acceptance that we should trust in God rather than in ourselves. Like the father in this parable, God, before you confess, will run to embrace you. After all God is love and wants each one of us to attain the kingdom of heaven. Just as this father found happiness in the return of the son there is in heaven joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Let us as we prepare for the Lenten season remind ourselves that like the prodigal son it is never too late to return to the home of our father. Amen.