Last Sunday, we read how Moses’ curiosity was sparked by the awesome sight of a bush ablaze with fire yet not consumed, and he went closer to look at it. There, at what appeared as a burning bush, Moses encountered God. God is like a burning fire, overflowing with passionate love for all! Just as Moses drew near to the burning bush, in the same way, the gospel for this coming Sunday (Luke15:1-3 &11-32), tells us of tax collectors and sinners who draw near to Jesus to listen to him and encounter God.
Some Pharisees, grounded in categorizing people as either righteous, holy, and clean or unclean and unholy, complained that Jesus “welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Their expectation was that Jesus would protect His holiness by distancing himself from sinners. But the Pharisees were correct. God in Christ does welcome sinners wholeheartedly! In order to demonstrate God’s welcoming, reconciling love, Jesus tells three parables (the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son).
Today’s gospel focuses on the parable of the prodigal son. The parable features a father and two sons. The father is a symbol of God’s passionate love; a love that is pure, forgiving, endless, and non-judgmental. The father also expresses God’s nearness, God’s involvement in the dailiness of our lives. The parable begins with the younger son’s impetuous demand that the father, although alive, give him his inheritance. The son receives the money and goes off to a “distant land.” After squandering all his money, in desperation, he takes a job feeding pigs. He then faces himself, the emptiness of his soul. He decides to return home, ask his father for forgiveness and request a job as a hired hand. In contrast, the father’s soul remained hopeful, patiently waiting for his son’s return. Scanning the roadway one day, he saw his son from afar. The father, overflowing with love, runs to welcome his son and warmly embraces him. He celebrates his son’s return with joy, just like God our Father celebrates our conversion!
Upon hearing about the joyful celebration, the older son is upset, resentful, and outraged. He refuses to join in the celebration. From the older brother's viewpoint, justice would demand that his brother be punished not celebrated. Additionally, he had not been rewarded for his loyal service. But God’s passionate and perfect love transcends our view of justice or righteousness. The father lovingly assures the older son, “Son, you are always with me and all that is mine is yours.”
Both sons are welcomed in the loving, reconciling embrace of the father, not counting their trespasses. We all face temptations to be like the brothers, sometimes committing blatant sins, symbolized in the actions of the younger son and sometimes committing subtle sins, through our self-justifying attitudes or our blind spots, symbolized in the actions of the older brother. Christ appeals to us to consider love always. Christ came to earth from a “distant country” in love, to reconcile us to God. God’s love so burns like a raging fire, He does not wish “that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Amen
