The Welcome Home

by Pastor Kathy Barlow-Westmoreland

This week's focus scripture is Luke 15:1-32.

This chapter from the gospel of Luke is interesting for a whole host of reasons. First is, the first two parables, which Bev and Renee read to you never come up in the lectionary cycle for preaching. I included them this morning because I think to fully appreciate the last parable you need to hear the first two. Second is we do not fully appreciate the context in which Jesus offers these stories.

Jesus was eating with tax collectors and sinners- the New English Bible calls them “bad characters”. Whatever you call them they fell into five categories: people who did dirty things, like tax collectors and pig farmers), people who did immoral things (like liars and adulterers), people who did not keep the law up to the standards of the religious authorities- you know, those Christmas and Easter attenders, those who only show up to be baptized, married and buried-, then the Samaritans, and finally…the Gentiles! These were the ones gathered around the table with Jesus.

Now, before we get too snooty about the Pharisees who took issue with Jesus, let’s imagine this scene at the Bob Evans today. Jesus is sitting with a welfare mom who has five children from three different fathers, a garbage collector, a child molester, a young man with AIDS, an illegal alien who spends his days waiting for work outside the Home Depot…get the picture? Who is it that we just cannot approve of…that is who Jesus is sitting with at the table, passing rolls, pouring coffee. Meals for the Jewish people are more than just ways to keep the body going- it was a worship service in which God was honored in the most ordinary details of life. Thus to sit at table with such people was to dishonor God. No wonder the local religious folk were grumbling!

Jesus hears the grumbling, even across the noisy restaurant, and so is compelled to tell three stories. The first two, the one about a lost sheep and lost coin, though brief, convey the message of how much God seeks those who are lost and how God rejoices when they are found. While humbling, one can connect to the role forgiveness and compassion play and we can almost understand where Jesus is coming from…maybe we should be more understanding of those who have made poor choices, otherwise how can they ever step onto a different path?

But then Jesus tells the third story. Now I need to stop here and say that generations of church tradition have not helped us at all in the understanding of this parable. It is known at the parable of the Prodigal Son, and has been known as such for hundreds of years. And yet, if we were to just consider the text ( God forbid we should actually read the text!)- Jesus starts with the phrase, there was once a man who had two sons…the focus of the story is not on either son, but on the father! Compound that with the word prodigal- does anyone know what the word prodigal mean? It means recklessly wasteful or extravagant- given the father’s response in the story, wouldn’t it be better named, the parable of the Prodigal Father? The father is the one who kills the fatted calf, the father is the one with rings and robe and a lavish party for the wayward son.

Let’s take a moment to consider this younger son…he truly was more than wayward. As the younger son, he was entitled to one third of his father’s estate upon his father’s death. To come to his father beforehand, was more than nervy or rude. In that culture it was to say to his father- you are dead to me. Therefore, I want my inheritance now. Not only that but it showed an utter disregard for the suffering of others. In this time, one did NOT sell land- the land, the precious land, was considered God’s gift to the family. The sale of it could have consequences to the community which benefited from the farming of the land. This younger son showed no concern for the suffering which would result from his desire to declare his father dead and sell his inheritance.

But back to the father…here he is, one of his sons has essentially declared him dead- cut off, no communication, no relationship. How heartbreaking this had to be. Anyone who has lost a child, whether by death, or by distance, knows that there is no deeper pain.

But the son does return…it is not a return of the heart as much as the stomach. He is not repentant, but desperate. He is hungry, and knows where he might be fed. He thirsts and knows where he might find water. And so he returns to his father (now apparently resurrected to him), to seek restoration of the relationship in some form. Lest you think he is truly repentant, Jesus paints no such picture. This man realizes that he would do better as a servant to his father than his current state- still looking out for himself- not exactly a sincere, faithful act of repentance.

But before he has a chance to utter a word, before the father knows anything of his intentions, the father sees him and takes off running. Running down the road to meet him, embrace him, kiss him. This is a resurrection moment. You know, often when WE talk about forgiveness, we talk about the sincerity of the person who is sorry, the truth of their repentance. There is none of that here- the father has no idea why he has returned, and yet he runs to meet him. It just doesn’t matter- the son who had died to him, has been resurrected.

And that’s when the Prodigal Father kicks in…he hardly hears his son’s well practiced speech…he is too busy planning the resurrection party…the food, the friends, the rings and robe…the joy and celebration. All the father knows is what was dead (both he and his son) are now alive. What has been lost is now found.

And I think this is what is so offensive to us good older sons…of course, let the wayward come home. We ARE the church after all…but let them come home to bread and water, not fatted calves. Let them come to sackcloth not a new robe, to ashes not jewelry, to kneeling not dancing, to tears and remorse, not merriment. After all we are here week after week, doing all the grunt work- and who throws us a party?

And in that resentment, the older son and we ourselves, are lost to the father. Our angry, self-righteousness takes us just as far away from our loving Father as the ones who wander away lost.
You see, the Prodigal Father doesn’t love either son according to what they deserve. They are loved just because of who they are. God does love us as much as the drug addicts and gang members, those who just cannot find the way of peace and love and well being in their lives. That is just the way it is. Just because we have made better choices with our lives does not mean that God loves us more. God will recklessly and extravagantly welcome home all who have wandered, all who were dead but are now alive.

Lent as hard as it can be for us as a season of the church year, is a season of joy for God. For hearts are turning back to God, lives are refocusing on God’s purpose for them and that brings great joy to God’s heart. It is that rejoicing, that party that can be so offensive for us…because we somehow think we deserve the party for making the good choices, for being the good people.

And yet, God turns to us and says, this party is also for you. Come and celebrate that your lost brother or sister has been found, that you have been reunited as family, that we are together as family. This fatted calf, this robe and ring, they are for you as well. Don’t begrudge those who have come home, welcome them, rejoice in them, love them. Maybe you don’t want to sit next to them, perhaps you cannot yet let go of your resentment of what they have done or the choices they have made. But, God says, this is my party, and I so want all my children to be there. And that includes you. The door is open, but it is your choice whether you will join in the celebration.

So, where will you be?

St. John's Westminster Union Church
1085 Neeb Rd. Cincinnati, Ohio 45233
(513) 347-4613