Word to the Wise
Sunday, September 11, 2022 - 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time - C
[Exod 32:7-11, 13-14; 1 Tim 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-32 or 15:1-10]"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]
I think most of us have heard and/or sung the words from the old hymn, AMAZING GRACE, "I once was lost but now am found...." The parable of the Prodigal Son is one of the most famous from the Gospel According to Luke. The moment of forgiveness is profoundly rendered in Rembrandt's famous painting. Fr. Henri Nouwen's THE RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON has influenced many in my pastoral experience. I hope that this parable will be included in the gospel proclamation at your parish and not dropped because of the length of the selection.
The words I selected above are spoken by the forgiving Father to the resentful older son when that son learns of the joyful welcome given to the prodigal younger son who returned. The great spiritual writer, Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI, has pointed out that at various times in our lives we may experience all of the roles in this parable. We may be at different points the prodigal disobedient son, the resentful "obedient" son, or the forgiving parent! We might even be one of the villagers at the celebration! However, the real emphasis is on forgiveness and the loving Father who forgives BOTH sons.
Forgiveness is one of the most challenging tasks of Jesus' teaching. It does deeply into hurts and judgments. We sometimes may ask, "Do I HAVE TO forgive this or that person?" Jesus says, "YES!" Which role in this parable do we find ourselves in right now? If we are the Father, can we run out and find BOTH sons to forgive? Are we one of the two sons? Which one? Both sons need forgiveness. One of them needs to forgive! Are we the older or younger one? Forgiveness is the ultimate sign of love. Jesus led the way when he said from the cross: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!" AMEN