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Luke 15 - Prodigal son/3
01.06.2011, 08:59

Luke 15:11–32

Becoming like our Father

 

This is the third Sunday that we are reflecting on the parable of Jesus and a painting by Rembrandt about "The Return of the Prodigal Son." We have tried to see ourselves in both of those sons. We saw ourselves in a younger because so often we think of ourselves as completely independent, assuming that the world revolves around us and we are the center of the universe. We live our lives not realizing how precious it is. We are like the younger son when we take and take from life all that we can take for ourselves, wasting our life not knowing and then suddenly realizing that life demands back all that it has given but we have nothing to return because we were not ready for such a demand.

 

We are like the elder son when we live knowing that life is demanding and precious and we invest everything we have into it. We play by the rules, we follow them, we calculate everything we’ve deserved and expect a reward for doing our duty. We are like the elder son when we are not thanked for our efforts and we get offended thinking that life is not fair to us, God left us, and we have been neglected. We are like the elder son, when we continue to live with bitterness in our heart because those who are unlike us seem to be living a sweet life. In each one of us live both the younger and the older prodigal sons. At times we throw out our responsibility, but then we judge others for doing the same. We all are children who squander God-given treasure called life. We all are children who condemn those who do not live like we do. But if we are honest before God and before ourselves there comes a time when we identify with these sons, and by the grace of God come to repentance, forgiveness and a new beginning in Him.

 

But we do not see the whole picture if we believe that returning home is our only call. The image of the Father in this story is important to us but we only see in him the one who eventually takes me, forgives me, lets me into His home, and helps me to find peace and joy. Rembrandt, however, does not allow me to perceive the image of the father only as something external to my personality. He put the father in the center of the picture and depicted him vulnerable, he shed light on his figure so that it would be brighter than all the others. Henry Nouwen says in his book that seeing that he suddenly realized that our call and our mission, is, ultimately, to become like the Father, and be able to demonstrate divine compassion in our everyday lives.

 

One can say, in fact, that this parable is not so much about three characters, as much as about our journey of becoming: being both the youngest son, and the eldest one, we are not destined to stay as such our whole lives but called to grow and become a parent. It’s not enough to just recognize how much we are like these brothers and to accept our Father’s forgiveness. We must face the question: "Do I want to be like my Heavenly Father? Do I want to be not only the one who has received forgiveness, but the one who forgives, not only the one who was met at the doorstep, but also the one who meets, not only the one who has received mercy, but also the one who shows mercy?"

 

Remember, one of the strongest statements that Jesus gave was: "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father is merciful" (Luke 6:36). Speaking about the mercy of God, Jesus not only shows that God has compassion for me, that he is ready to forgive my sins and to give me the joy of a new life. It challenges me to demonstrate the same compassion that God showed towards me to those around me. If it all comes down to the fact that people sin and God forgives them, then we would be fast to imagine that every sin committed by me is just a convenient excuse for God to show His mercy. And that’s how many people live: giving into their weaknesses in hope that God, after all, will close His eyes and will still let in back home no matter what I've done. But such a sentiment is very far from the truth of the Gospel.

 

Whether we are like the youngest or the eldest son, the truth is that we are the children of our merciful Father, and therefore are his heirs. Paul expresses the same thought saying: "The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we - the children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him, to Him be glorified" (Romans 8:16-17). As children of the Heavenly Father we are also his heirs: called to come to the house of our Father and to demonstrate to others the same compassion that the Father has shown us. Returning to the Father, in the end, contains a requirement of becoming a 'father'.

 

This call to become the ‘father’ removes all other, more "soft" options for understanding the parable. I know how much we desire to return and feel safe but do we really want to become God’s children and heirs, taking into account everything that involves? Being in the Father's house means to join our father's life and to be transformed into his likeness. What is this transformation? First of all, recall the circumstances in which Jesus told this parable about how "A certain man had two sons"(Luke 15:11). Luke writes: "Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. The Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying: This man receives sinners and eats with them "(Luke 15:1-2). With this parable Jesus wanted to show that God, of whom He spoke, is full of compassion and ready to accept repentant sinners in his House. If God forgives sinners, then, obviously, and those who have faith in Him should do the same. If God invites sinners to his house, then believers in God should do so. If God is merciful, that he who loves God is to be merciful.

 

However, as long as we are in this world, we continue to compete with each other and hope that we will eventually be rewarded for all our achievements. But if we belong to God who loves us unconditionally, we are called to love as He does. Jesus leaves no doubt about this: "treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. "If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (Luke 6:31-36). We are called not only to be welcomed by God, but also to welcome as God does, to see the world through His eyes.

 

That's the main message of the gospel: the call to love one another as God loves us, a call to the same self-sacrificing love, the image of which created Rembrandt depicting the father of the prodigal son. Compassion that fills His love is incompatible with the perception of life as competition. But we are so often so far from his love and compassion. Even in all our efforts, and despite our best intentions, we often desire to dominate and be above others. When we give advice, we want to know that it will be followed, providing help, we would like to be thanked; giving someone money, we want it to be used exactly according out our instructions, when performing a good deed, we want it to be remembered. Maybe we do not expect a monument in our honor but we are constantly concerned with the thought of being forgotten and we want to live in thoughts and deeds of others. But, the father of the prodigal son in this parable did not think about himself, he cared only about his children, he gave them all that he had, he gave them himself.

 

Do I desire to give not wanting anything in return, to love and not to make love depend on any terms? Do I so desire to become a spiritual parent to someone? Or am I doomed to a lifetime quest to secure my own place in this world and to utilize power rather then compassion in my actions? No, we are not doomed for this; we are called to become as merciful as our heavenly Father, and His true Son Jesus offers Himself to us as a guide on this spiritual journey.

 

In fact, in a way Rembrandt portrayed the father, Henry Nouwen noticed three paths to becoming a compassionate father: grief, forgiveness, and generosity.

 

On the face of his father, above all, is displayed a deep sadness, a sorrow for the pain of what was lost, how he fell one whom he loved so much. It may seem strange that sadness is the way to compassion. But this is so. When we grieve we allow all the sins of the world, including our own, to penetrate into our hearts and cause us tears, we weep for them. We see how sinful this world is and a groan is born in us: "O my soul, you see how one man is seeking to bring another suffering, as much as impossible to bear, you see how resourceful people are when they want to hurt their brothers, you see how parents are harsh to their own children, how masters exploit their workers, how women and men are mistreated, how children are abandoned. O my soul, look at the world and you will see concentration camps, prisons, hospitals and you will hear the cries of the poor." Such sadness generates a prayer, and this sadness is deep not only because human sins are so vast but because God's love is so boundless. And to become like our father who shows us only one kind of power - the power of compassion we should also shed a flood of tears and to prepare our hearts to accept and forgive everyone, whatever paths they have chosen.

 

Secondly, the father granted his son forgiveness. Forgiveness is the second path that leads us to spiritual fatherhood. Only forgiving time and again we become like our father. To forgive wholeheartedly is very, very difficult, and sometimes it seems almost impossible. Jesus told his disciples, "And if seven times a day he trespass against thee seven times in a day turn and say: "I repent "- forgive him" (Luke 17:4). You might think that we often say "I forgive you," but our hearts remain being filled with resentment and anger. We still want to hear that after all we were right, we want to hear apologies and we want to be vindicated, or at least get some reward in the end – as if there is any reward with which you can purchase forgiveness. But God forgives us unconditionally and does not require anything for himself. And we in our everyday life are called to forgive as well. And to do this we must overturn all our excuses: that it is stupid to forgive, that it is dangerous and impractical, we must step over our desire for praise and gratitude, and resist that nagging part of the heart, which feels wronged and wants to set certain conditions to anyone who asks me for forgiveness. And for this I must remember that I am a beloved child, and I CAN gladly meet at the door everyone who wishes to return, and to do it as hospitably as my father once welcomed me.

 

And the third path to becoming like Father is generosity. In the parable the father not only gives his Son everything he asks but literally floods him with gifts. And to the elder one he also says: "Everything that is mine is yours" (15:31). The father did not leave anything for himself; he gave everything to his children. The father not only gave his children far more than could be expected with all the insults they made to Him but he gives himself completely, without keeping anything back. And as the Father gives himself to His children He wants me to give myself without reserve to my brothers and sisters. "There is no greater love than as a man lay down his life for his friends" (Jn. 15:13). The ability to give oneself does not come automatically; it comes as we work on ourselves. We are the children of darkness, over whom reign fear, selfishness, greed and love of power; our behavior is so often determined by our desire for survival and self-preservation. But we are also the children of light, and we know that perfect love conquers all fears and we received the ability to give to others all that we have. And it is in giving that we receive, because Jesus said: "Whoever loses his life for My sake will save it ...."

 

These three aspects: grieving, forgiveness and generosity can be found together in our Father's call to "be home" - not simply to return home, having someone as a younger, then as the older son but to "be home" - to be the one with the Heavenly Father, always ready to meet and welcome other prodigal children. That's what we are created to be. This is a long journey of life that we should undertake, and we are called to walk it together. It is on this path that with God's help we want to walk and lead our church. Who will join us?

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