Fourth Sunday – Lent Cycle C

Reflecting on Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32

The most shameful thing happened yesterday.  Do you remember last year when the younger son of my friend said to him, “Drop dead!  I want my inheritance now”?  And he gave it to him!  This worthless son went off to Sepphoris—you know that big Roman city with the Greek theatres and the dancing girls?

And, you guessed it, he spent it all!  Now he’s feeding pigs, this Jewish boy.  And he’s starving, of course.  So yesterday

Return of the Prodigal Son (Rembrandt) c. 1669

he shows up at the city gate.  We hardly recognized him, that’s how skinny and sickly he looked.  We all got together and marched to the gate.  How dare this son come home?  And we all waited for his father to say the words the rabbis have counseled for just such a situation:  Get out of my sight.  You are dead to me.

And what does this shameful, prodigal father do? He has rahamin―the love of a mother for her child in the womb―for this worthless son.  He picks up his robe like a woman and runs to the gate before the rest of us could get there.  He calls for a robe and a ring and shoes for this son who deserves nothing.

And you won’t believe this.  He killed the fatted calf and is having a party for him tonight!  The messenger just arrived with the invitation.  Well, I’m not going.  I tell you, I’m not going.  Yes…of course I’m going.

Will you go with me?

Sharing God’s Word at Home:

Have you ever swallowed your pride and gone to the party and then been so happy you did?

(Kathy offers a special thanks to Thomas Smith for the inspiration for this column.)

Lent - Cycle C