Date: March 24th & 27th
Preacher: Pastor Ashley Rosa-Ruggieri
First Reading: Joshua 5:9-12
Psalmody: Psalm 32
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 5:16-21
Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
I have many siblings. For most of my childhood I grew up living with three of my brothers and it would be a lie if I said that we always got along. Many of our disagreements came from the differences between us. Though there was some overlap, for the most part we all have distinct gifts, views, and personalities. Oftentimes these differences are the things that siblings focus on so that there is a clear distinction between each person, and I think we see some of that in the parable that Jesus tells in our Gospel reading today. These two brothers are quite different, we have one who is older, responsible, reserved, and loyal and we have another who is younger, free-spirited, wild, and introspective.
As the younger brother leaves and then decides to return in the story today, these differences become even more pronounced, and there is clearly tension when it comes to the ways each brother has lived their lives. It is easy to point out how these two brothers are different, and maybe even decide which one we each identify with more. But their differences are not what I want to focus on today. Although we can easily establish the differences between these two brothers and the ways that their personalities and actions are unique from the other, today I want to focus on a way that they are similar.
Though they approach the situation with their father with different motivations and mindsets, the end outcome for both brothers is the same, they both underestimate their father’s ability for love and forgiveness. The younger brother comes home and is so sure that what he has done while away invalidates his ability to be considered his father’s son. He is content to just be able to work in his father’s house, so convinced that he had done too many bad things and that he could never be forgiven. And yet when he was still far off, the father runs to him, so excited to see his son come home. A party is thrown for his homecoming with feasting and music and dancing. This younger brother was so sure that he would be met with lectures and disappointment, without any hope of forgiveness. But his father embraced him with open arms, rejoicing in his return, and lavishing him with love and forgiveness.
The older brother in this story comes to the same conclusion when it comes to their father, that his brother has made himself unworthy by his actions while he was away. When the younger brother returns and an extravagant party is thrown, the older brother refuses to participate and instead argues with his father. He points out that during this time while his brother was away, he has been here at home working and serving their household. The older brother feels underappreciated and feels like his younger brother got off easy because their father did not admonish the younger brother’s behaviors away from home as the older brother thought their father should. He might have even felt worthless in comparison. But still, much like his younger brother, this older brother underestimates the love that the father has for his children. Forgiveness is freely and amply given to this younger son, and his older brother does not understand why this would be the case. But love and forgiveness are also given to this older son, in the midst of his judgements, pride, and arrogance that he is obviously better than the younger brother.
For our theme of the Lord’s Prayer this week we are looking at the petition “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.” We ask for God’s forgiveness, knowing that it has already been poured out upon us. Asking God to forgive us in the Lord’s Prayer is not a petition we make out of the fear that God will not forgive us, rather it is a petition we make to give thanks to God for the grace freely given to us. Grace that is given to us even when we feel like the younger brother who has strayed too far away, or when we feel like the older brother and wonder how all the good things we have done do not result in enough recognition while our sinful neighbor receives the same grace we have already received in abundance.
We tend to call today’s Gospel parable “The Prodigal Son.” And for a long time, I used to think that “prodigal” meant something like “return” or “found.” But it doesn’t. Prodigal had two definitions when I looked it up: “spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant.” That is the first one, and probably the one meant to describe the younger son in this story. The second definition is: “having or giving something on a lavish scale.” And that makes me wonder if the true prodigal act of this story is the forgiveness that is lavishly given by the father to his sons.
This is the type of forgiveness that God has given us, and so this is the type of forgiveness that we pray for God to help us do for others in the Lord’s Prayer. We ask for God to forgive us as we forgive others, but if we already know the vastness of God’s forgiveness, then we are praying that the same kind of vast forgiveness might be given by us to others. And if we are to forgive other people like that, we are definitely going to need God’s help.
An important clarification I think needs to be made. Forgiveness is never something we are owed. Though we might seek to be as forgiving as we can, this is not an expectation that we place on other people, especially in situations where we have done real harm. Forgiveness also does not mean everything is forgotten and goes back to the way it was. Transparent forgiveness comes from honesty about the harm that has been done, accountability for the actions that were hurtful, time for healing to occur, and sometimes space for that relationship to mend.
When we pray for God to forgive us just as we forgive others, the Holy Spirit comes with guidance and companionship on our journeys. Sometimes we might act like the younger brother in our parable today, and sometimes we might act like the older brother, but hopefully we never underestimate God’s love and forgiveness as both brothers did. Instead, we can learn from them and open our minds and hearts to the forgiveness we pray for. And hopefully, as we pray the Lord’s Prayer and ask for God’s help, we may be able to act like the father in the parable whose love and forgiveness known no limits. Thanks be to God!