Extravagantly Loved

Readings for Sunday September 12th 2010


Extravagantly Loved

This Sunday's gospel is one of the most beloved parables of Jesus. Although it's titled the Prodigal Son, the story details the extravagant love and mercy of our heavenly Father.
Jesus is addressing two distinct audiences with this story: sinners and tax collectors, and Pharisees and teachers of the Law. The prodigal son's journey parallels that of the sinners, while his brother's disposition resembles that of some of the Pharisees. The younger son separated himself physically and through sinful activity, while the older son withdrew his heart from his father. The father loved and valued both his sons.
The story begins with the younger son asking his father for an advance on his inheritance. The father agrees and the son is soon headed, with all his cash, to a distant country. There he parties his inheritance away. But the fun ends when he declares bankruptcy and a famine hits the country. Hungry and destitute, the boy hires himself out to a citizen of that country, who sends him to care for the pigs.
Good Jewish boys didn't go near pigs. Jews considered swine unclean, and did not keep them or eat them. Taking this work is a clear indication that the younger son is utterly desperate. Then, if that weren't enough, it becomes evident to him that the pigs enjoy a higher standard of living than he does. This is the beginning of a turning point for him. He begins to make his way home. As he rehearses his confession, he focuses not on what he has lost, but on what he has done.
The father catches sight of his wayward child from a distance. This is no coincidence. Since his son's arrogant leavetaking, the father has spent his days scanning the horizon, hoping to catch a glimpse of his son returning home.
What happens next is unprecedented in Middle Eastern culture. When the father sees his son, he runs toward him like an exuberant child. Every chain that binds him to human respect and the approval of men is unabashedly broken in his passionate pursuit of his son. The father's love is absolutely unrestrained. He is deaf to Middle Eastern customs of dignity. An oriental patriarch wouldn't dream of running, let alone sprinting, toward a sinful, self-indulgent, swine-herding son. Instead, he would sit in grand isolation with his arms tightly folded, saving face by making his wayward child come to him.
When he reaches his son, he embraces and kisses him. The father isn't responding to his estranged son's prepared apology. The boy has yet to say a word. Rather, his compassion for his son arises from the very depth of his being.
The son is truly remorseful and confesses his sin to his father. The most he can hope for is to become a hired servant. After what he has done, he can't imagine being restored to the dignity of a son. His father knows his son's feelings of unworthiness, but allows no doubt about his status as a son.
First, the father directs his servants to get the best robe and put it on the boy. This brings honor to a son who feels less than honorable. Secondly, he has a ring placed on the boy's finger. The ring is probably a family signet, indicating that the son possesses standing and authority in the family. His father wants to place on his body a visual reminder of who he is: a beloved son and cherished member of his family—not a hired hand.
Thirdly, he has sandals placed on the boy's feet. The prodigal came home barefoot. This is characteristic of a slave, not of a free man. His father wants to make clear to his son that with his arrival home, he is emancipated from his slavery to sin.
Finally, the father declares that it is party time and orders the fatted calf to be slaughtered. He is so thrilled with the return of his son that he isn't going to hold anything back.
Meanwhile, the older son is in the field and hears all the music and dancing as he approaches the house. As soon as he learns the reason for the party, he becomes furious. Instead of rejoicing at the return of his brother, he refuses to go near the house.
Again, the father defies the protocols of patriarchy. He humiliates himself before his servants and guests by leaving the celebration to plead with his older son. His love for both his boys is unreserved and unrestrained. He is deaf to his own pride and blind to the opinion of others. What's good for one lost son is good for the other.
The older son's response echoes the sentiments of some of the Pharisees, when they judged Jesus for being a friend of sinners. He releases a torrent of resentment toward his father. He refers to his brother as your son, refusing to associate himself with him. He sees his brother and father as enemies, and fails to see the toxic enemy in his own heart—self-righteousness, judgmentalism, and jealousy. The story ends with the hearers wondering what the older brother does.
Whether we identify more with the younger or the older son, we are all called to repentance. Whether our rebellion is outward or inward, one thing we can all count on is our Father in heaven, who holds nothing back and who extravagantly loves us.

Enjoy the readings- pass them on! IHN tommyk

Reading 1

Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14

7 The LORD said to Moses, “Go down at once to your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, for they have become depraved. 8 They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them, making for themselves a molten calf and worshiping it, sacrificing to it and crying out, ‘This is your God, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ 9 “I see how stiff-necked this people is,” continued the LORD to Moses. 10 Let me alone, then, that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them. Then I will make of you a great nation.” 11 But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying, “Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with such great power and with so strong a hand? 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and how you swore to them by your own self, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky; and all this land that I promised, I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.’” 14 So the LORD relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.

Reading II

1 Timothy 1:12-17

12 Beloved: I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry. 13 I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and arrogant, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief. 14 Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost. 16 But for that reason I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life. 17 To the king of ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God, honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Gospel

Luke 15:1-32

1 Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, 2 but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 So to them he addressed this parable. 4 “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy 6 and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. 8 “Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ 10 In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
11 Then he said, “A man had two sons, 12 and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. 13 After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.14 When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. 15 So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. 16 And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any. 17 Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. 18 I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ 20 So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ 22But his father ordered his servants ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. 25 Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. 27 The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. 30 But when your son returns, who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ 31 He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. 32 But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’

Questions for Discussion:

1. What lesson does the parable teach us about God's attitude toward sinners?

2. How should we approach God for forgiveness of our sins?

3. What are some examples of ways wealth can be used to serve God?

4. What are some uses of wealth that demonstrate that money is the master being served instead of God?

5. What is the main lesson of the parable?