Fourth Sunday of Lent
A Homily - Cycle C -
2012-2013
by Rev. Luke Dundon
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First Reading: Joshua 5:9a, 10-12
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Written to explain that
Christ came to save everyone.
Tax
collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the
Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and
eats with them." So to them Jesus addressed this parable: "A man had two
sons, and the younger son said to his father, 'Father give me the share of your
estate that should come to me.' So the father divided the property between
them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and
set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of
dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck
that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out
to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody
gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, 'How many of my father's
hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from
hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
"Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve
to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."'
So
he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to
his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, 'Father, I have
sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your
son. But his father ordered his servants, 'Quickly bring the finest robe
and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take
the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and
has been found.' Then the celebration began.
Now
the older son had been out in the field and on his way back, as he neared the
house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the
servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, 'Your
brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because
he has him back safe and sound.' He became angry, and when he refused to
enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his
father in reply, 'Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey
your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my
friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with
prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.' He said to him, '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.'"
Have
you ever seen a movie or read a book where the ending leaves you really
wondering, HUH?! This is one of those stories. A son who has totally
dishonored his father, squandered half of his father’s belongings, is now being
welcomed back into Dad’s loving embrace. He’s obviously learned the hard way,
coming back in rags, having slept with pigs. He’s ready to work as a slave, for
he knows a universal rule that we all learned at a young age – you reap what
you sow. He has sown a lot of trouble, both for himself and for others, so
it’s time reap the payment. Treat me like a slave, Dad . . . however, Dad will
have none of that. While the younger son is still a ways off in his humiliated
homecoming, the father RUNS UP to him and HUGS him! The same one who ruined
half of his father’s possessions, the father EMBRACES! Is this REALLY the
ending? Is THIS how the story ends? Does anyone have an issue with it?
I
know the elder son does. He’s been working in the fields, he’s been working
hard. And then he comes back. Oh, the troublemaker is back! Finally came to
pay for what he wasted. And WHAT is this?! He’s wearing Father’s finest robe?
He’s wearing the best sandals and a fancy ring? Just because he’s BACK?! THIS
isn’t reaping what he’s sown! He’s continuing to benefit from Dad’s foolish
generosity! And what have *I* been given, slaving away out here . . . Why is
Father loving him so much when he doesn’t deserve it? The story
is cut short. Will this elder son accept the way his Father chose to love?
Poor
elder son . . . He already HAD IT, and the Father reminds him, “Son, EVERYTHING
I have is YOURS!” True, the rule still holds – what is sown must be reaped – so
the FATHER took the hit for the younger son. The FATHER continues to
share EVERYTHING with the older son. The FATHER reaches out to BOTH sons so
that they can be together. He reminds BOTH sons that He has an unbreakable love
for both of them, a love which is NEVER dissolved by what is DONE by THEM.
Lent
can present us with some challenging lessons. We continue to learn how
much God loves us, SO MUCH that it might make our heads spin. A couple weeks
ago we heard of the story of Jesus’ Transfiguration. Deacon Thomas beautifully
described the scene, with Jesus made dazzling white, a beautiful example of the
Father ‘hugging” his Divine Son, and how good it is that we should imitate that
love with each other. But what if it isn’t that easy? What if it isn’t easy
to imitate the Father’s love for His Son, as we try to deal with each other’s
own imperfections? As we try to deal with apparent injustices? As we see
others receive honors or possessions that they don’t seem to deserve?
What if it’s hard to really LOVE these people, and not just imaginary people, I
mean REAL family members or REAL people in the news whom we may have already
condemned in our hearts? Divine Teacher, this parable is HARD! This lesson is
hard today! We don’t ever get to see how this story ENDS!
And
that’s what makes this so beautiful – the story empties right into our laps – WE
are the ending of this parable, the final words are for US to write. How can we
forgive the most difficult ones? How can we LOVE them from the HEART? How can
we embrace them like the father. By returning back to the Heart of the Father,
a heart which is found in the Sacrament of Confession. There’s a reason why we
have that stained glass window closest to the confessional. WE become the Son
who is wandering back home . . . a short walk back to the Confessional is
overwhelmed by God leaping all the way down from the infinite heights of
Heaven, so EAGER He is to welcome us back! WE become the older Son
working out in the fields . . . harboring our own pre-judgments, finding it hard
to FORGIVE, as the Father gently reminds us – I’M ready to FORGIVE you, for
EVERYTHING! And I’m ready to GIVE YOU, EVERYTHING! Not just SOME of my love,
ALL of it! As the priest says, “I absolve you from your sins, in the name of
the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” we can look up at the
Crucifix and be reminded – God reaped the hurt that we sowed! I once
read a beautiful saying – when we look upon God’s face, we see his glory. When
we look upon the cross, we see his heart. Come back to the Heart of the
Father this Lent and let the Father embrace you, in Confession. Come back to
Confession yet AGAIN this Lent, as our Heavenly Dad reminds us – everything I
have is YOURS, my son, my daughter – welcome to the happy ending of our story!
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