Word to the Wise
Saturday, March 23, 2019 - 2nd Week of Lent - Sat
[Mic 7:14-15, 18-20 and Luke 15:1-3, 11-32]"'My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. 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.'" [Luke]
Although the parable in today's gospel is popularly known as "the Prodigal Son," it could easily be called the Prodigal Son(s) or the Merciful Father. The context of the parable in the Gospel According to Luke is a series of three parables that Jesus speaks to the scribes and Pharisees who criticize him for eating with "tax collectors and sinners." Many different angles appear in the last of the three, the one we have today. One might ask who the younger son is? Is he a tax collector or a Pharisee?
The noted spiritual writer, Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI, suggests that all of us are represented in the two sons. As younger people we want our freedom from the Father and go off on our own. Later on, we become more settled and more judgmental of the younger ones, despite our previous experience, or perhaps because of it. In any case, the Father comes out to meet us whether we are younger or older. The older brother could be part of the celebration or maybe not. That's one of the most intriguing parts of this parable. We don't know if the older brother joined the party or not! Would we join it? Can we show the same celebrative mercy that the Father showed? AMEN