Psalm 32 (New Jerusalem Bible)
Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32 (Common English Bible)
One of the remarkable aspects of this parable from Luke chapter 15, is how easy it is to identify with its characters, the prodigal son, the father and the older son. Some identify with the younger son, those who have made mistakes, wandered away and found themselves in trouble. Others identify with the older brother, those who have remained loyal. They find it difficult to say anything good about a person who has done bad things. And others see themselves as the father, trying to extend grace while thinking about competing claims of fairness and mercy.
But the story begins with the Pharisees and other religious leaders. They complain about Jesus and his habit of dining with tax collectors and other sinners. The religious leaders are concerned over who should be worthy of fellowship and those who should be shunned. When Jesus hears this, he doesn’t respond with a direct statement, but uses parables instead. This is the genius of the Son of God.
This is what makes this parable important and also so touching. The parable of the “prodigal son” as it is known, is not just a story of one wayward son, but two sons. And they are the two that reflect humanity’s viewpoint so well.
The younger son represents those who are wandering souls tired of their present life. Sometimes people like that are called the “black sheep” of the family. The ones who cause trouble. They are the ones who keep their parents up all night wondering where their child is.
Then there is the older son. He represents those who are responsible and follows the rules. He has worked hard, not for himself but because he was told to. He believes his hard work will be valued and rewarded. It is easy to compare the older son to the Pharisees. And another example were the Jewish people who resented the Gentiles becoming part of the Jesus faith. You can imagine the Jews saying something like this, We are the ones who worshiped the one true God, Yahweh for centuries while those Gentiles were worshiping pagan idols. The Gentiles don’t deserve being a part of the Jesus Movement. And another comparison is, by the end of the 1st century when more Gentiles were becoming Jesus followers, most Jews left the Jesus faith. They wanted no contact with the Gentiles.
One meaning of this parable is the older son’s resentment causes him to be estranged from his father. Both sons are lost in their own ways, but the father’s love extends to both. The father in this parable demonstrates the heart of God. The father does not base his love on merit. Instead he runs to the younger son and blesses him, despite his rebellion against family protocol.
In this parable Jesus exposes the religious leaders misunderstanding. But there will be disciples who still have the attitude of the religious leaders. There were those who didn’t want to associate with the “wrong” people. An example would be Zaccheaus the tax collector.
Many people, like the religious leaders of the 1st century, still wanted to maintain clear lines of separation, but God’s kingdom is about restoration. The invitation is to see God’s awesome grace at work. The next step is to join in the celebration rather than standing outside and judging people.
This parable is larger than just about two brothers. It is about all people. This includes everyone whose love transcends to all people. God’s grace refuses to be measured no matter how far a person has wandered.
The term “prodigal son” with “prodigal” meaning reckless or “extravagant waste” could describe other people besides the younger son. Even what the father did was extravagant when his lost son returned home. The father runs to embrace his son, clothing him with dignity, having a feast and demonstrating his love.
The father’s response to the older son is marked with the same generosity. The father listens to his anger and then assures his older son he will still have a continued place in his household. This is a love that seeks to bring everyone into the celebration, regardless of their guilt to deserve it. Sounds like a preview of Heaven to me.
This very loved parable defies worldly standards. The world tells us that people should earn their place in society, that actions have consequences and that justice must be paid. But Jesus presents a different vision. Jesus offers a love that is beyond all religions because grace is for all people whether one is Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Wicca, Christian or no religion. Jesus is bigger than any religion.
The external voices of the world will try to convince us that only wealth, success and power is the answer to happiness. We hear all around us that certain people are not worthy in our society. I continue to be shocked how bad the Palestinian people in America are treated. During this Lenten season we should look and aid those people who face oppression. Some congregations within the Presbyterian Church are giving sanctuary to those migrant families who face deportation. We have to ask ourselves, what would Jesus do? Afterall, Jesus and his father and mother were migrants accepted in Egypt to escape the wrath of King Herod in Judea.
In Psalm chapter 32, the writer invites a certain group of people to rejoice in the Lord. They were righteous and had a kind heart. Assuming the psalmist is in this group, it is clear that being righteous doesn’t make one perfect. Mistakes will still happen.
But what does it mean to be righteous? At the minimum it means to know that God exists. It’s hard to be righteous if you don’t believe in God.
A second thing the psalmist mentions is a belief in God that is the God who exists is holy and good and is upset by human sins. But what God is has been an open question for centuries. Some people still believe that God is the “old man upstairs” who is easily upset about the humans God created. Or they might be a Deist, who believes God created everything and then retired forever.
But the righteous know better. They know and love God. The God they worship is full of love and grace. This is the God ready to forgive and when we grieve this God, we feel bad. We know God expects and wants better from us and the righteous know that God can give us the power to accomplish that. The ability to have a loving relationship with the Almighty Creator of the galaxies, is right there beside you every day of your life.
Psalm 32 closes by saying that “many are the woes of the wicked.” The wicked may not know their woes so their bad behavior continues. But the wonderful fact is the righteous do know the never ending love and grace from God. And in this season of Lent it’s a great thing to know and experience.
AMEN
