Friday 20 April 2007

The final verses of the parable of the two sons and the father bring us to the end of this week.
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them." (Luke 15:1-2)

Then Jesus said, "There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.' So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country and there squandered his property in dissolute living. (Luke 15:11-13). When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired hands have bread enough to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! (Luke 15:14-17) I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands." So he set off and went to his father. (Luke 18-20a) But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly, bring out a robe - the best one - and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:20b-24) Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, 'Your Brother has come and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.' Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. (Luke 15:25-28) But he answered his father, 'Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him.' (Luke15:29-30) The the father said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.'" (Luke 15:31-32)

Why not take a look at what is your reality...what is your life...what are the gifts that you have? The older brother gripes about the younger brother and forgets everything he has been given. The world of nit-picking religious folks means that we rarely see and hear of people simply thrilled with being whose we are - the beloved children of God. Instead, we hear, "Look at them" or "How can they possibly be included here." The father reminds all of us of the place we already have and the place that belongs to the father. This father is rich in love and celebration and joy. We can always expect that this is the shape and face of the Reign of God. In some ways, it must be. Otherwise we would be saying that the Reign of God has our face...and our face can so easily be nothing more than the angry, bitter, unforgiving face of the older brother. Remember this story started with religious folks in a bit of a grumbling mood over how Jesus was bringing to life this love of God. A love for all....and the all means the lost, the lowest, the least...and yes, even those who think they are the best. To all of these comes the power of the love of God. It is only within that embrace that we are able to be something other than the finger-pointers we can so easily become. That love is our starting point and our returning point. It is as I say so often the beginning and the end. Now we are invited to celebrate those points in the in-between time of today.

Connection: So how does one...like me or you...remain focused on this love of God so that it really does have the power to remake all things?!? I would suggest that God's love is already tugging at us and bidding us to come and live within it power. We...are to simply trust that love...and live.

Abide with us, O God, as you have promised. We will drift away and we will run away and we will turn our backs to you...but we must have you near us so that we can hear your words of love and your forgiveness and be assured of your everlasting embrace. Lead us, O Lord, into the expansiveness of your Reign with all your beloved. Amen.