February 14, 2010 at Saint Mark Church in Norman, OK
Joshua 5: 9-12 + Psalm 34 + 2 Corinthians 5: 17-21 + Luke 15:1-3,11-32
A parable about a Father is also a parable about the children. We know that Jesus used this parable to reveal something about God His Father. And in the person of the older sons Jesus speaks of the elders, chief priests, and Pharisees about their stubborn and hardened hearts. Luke takes the parable and uses it as the last in a series of three parables about celebrations over the recovery of something that was lost: sheep, coins, children.
We can tell the parable about ourselves, and in the middle of Lent, that might be the best reflection of all as we move into the last weeks of this holy season. There is no doubt that a mood of joy and hint of celebration breaks into this season today; but it is about something yet to come with a parable that is unresolved. We never know from the details that Luke provides if the party ever takes place. It stops uncomfortably short with a conflict unresolved. Besides being a story of mercy and forgiveness, patience and love; This is a story of entitlement. “Give me what should come to me.” says the young man. He expects the father to hand over everything to him and to his brother, and he wants it now. He gets what he wants, and finds out it is not what he needs. His hunger is not for food because after having all that money can buy, he is still hungry and lonely. At home he had everything he needed and could ever have asked for. He has a moment of grace and goes home where there was more than food and drink, shelter and safety. There is a father who loves and waits.
Besides being a story of mercy and forgiveness, patience and love; Entitlement and enlightenment, this is a story of resentment and anger. The rule-keeper, the dependable one, the responsible one is filled with resentment.
When we tell this parable in this church it becomes our story. While there may be some here who have come home after leaving us hopefully finding what the younger son found at his return, most of us here are the rule-keepers, dependable, and responsible. While there may be some whose sense of entitlement leaves the rest of us to do all the work, contribute the funds, provide education and formation for their children, a pretty place for their weddings, comfort and food at their funerals, while they spend on themselves, we must look deeply into this parable for our own place in the story.
Resentment and anger have no place among us as a church, as a nation, as a human family. Both entitlement and resentment break the bonds that hold us together. When they meet head on, there can be no celebration, no party, no rejoicing. We are asked to do more than just our duty. More is needed than just keeping the rules and being dependable. Self-serving righteousness in the end does more damage to this family than selfish entitlement. Neither work for the common good of the family, but the resentment seems hardest to overcome. Resentment is built upon perceived inequality and comparison. This man evaluates himself in comparison to his brother. It is not surprising that he comes off looking good: too bad he did not compare himself to his father. This man is reward driven. He works for what he can get, not for what he can give. He thinks it is all about rewards, and when that attitude meets grace, resentment erupts like a volcano. We understand him because he is so much like us.
The speech of the older brother is almost stunning in its selfish righteousness. I did this, I did that, I have always, I have never….on an on he goes. It’s all about him. Perhaps he thinks that his portion is now threatened by the return of his brother. Suddenly his attitude of entitlement and privilege gets in the way. One squanders and the other hoards not spending anything to even entertain his friends. Both complain about what they have NOT been given. Greed and Jealousy have made them both blind to what they have been given.
That older one thinks it’s all about him; but it isn’t.
It’s about a father who waits and watches, and simply says: Everything I have is yours.” Can we hear that news?
Can those words melt the hardness of resentment that is killing us? Will those words ever quiet the restless hunger that makes us greedy and jealous creating the silly sense of entitlement that drives us apart and tears at our unity? “Everything I have is yours”. In the middle of Lent comes the shocking news of grace and what it uncovers.
There is still no rejoicing, no party, no celebration. For two reasons, some will not let go of their past sins and cannot quite believe that we are sons and daughters of a God who says: “Everything I have is yours.”You do not deserve it. You do not earn it. The other reason is that we continue to work for rewards and for what we can get and the simple presence of abundance means nothing to us while we grow in resentment and anger looking at what others have and judging ourselves by comparison. Only when we break loose from these ways of thinking and acting will we get inside and hear the music and know that we are home.