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Sermon March 31, 2019
The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers,
The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen’s
Fourth Sunday in Lent, Year C
http://lectionarypage.net/YearC_RCL/Lent/CLent4_RCL.html
So Jesus told them this parable: There was a man who had two sons. Luke 15: 3, 11
Please be seated.
Today we have a very familiar story, one we hear every year. One we must return to time and time again. This week, in preparation, I perused Henri Nouwen’s book on this subject. We also had Clergy Council on Thursday with clergy from the Harrisburg Convocation and the Bishop. We shared our thoughts about this parable.
I thought I’d read Henri Nouwen’s book, because I’ve read so many of his works. Yet, you know how even when you’ve read something before, something new jumps out at you? It’s like that with the Bible, isn’t it?
One of the things I focused on from Nouwen’s book is that we are all the younger son, the older son, and the father.
Do you think of yourself as the younger son, squandering your inheritance on dissolute living? Recently in Parlor People, we were looking at the practice of Turn, which is part of The Way of Love. Mary Bea Sullivan in her book, Living the Way of Love: A 40-day Devotional talks about having a conversation with a good friend. They were both lamenting the mistakes they’d made and the challenge of coming back from those mistakes. Her friend said, “You know, it’s only when you realize you are standing in the hog trough that you can run back home to ask forgiveness.” P. 1.
Nouwen also pointed out that he identified with the younger son at times when he was very busy, traveling to speak about some great cause. He was doing good work, yet yearned to rest in the arms of God.
Being the younger son is about the times we move away from God. We may not even realize it at first. But something brings us back to ourselves and we run with haste back to God.
But notice, the younger son’s plan was to return as a hired hand. He could not imagine being forgiven, being called a child again. Even when we come to ourselves and move back towards God, we may not fully forgive ourselves or believe God can forgive us.
I think most often I identify with the older son. I’ve always been a responsible person, which may stem from being the oldest child in the family. We work hard. We do all of the right things. We follow all of the rules. Because, like this oldest son, we expect rewards for doing so. It’s not that we do all of the right things, because that’s what God would ask of us or that’s what makes life so wonderful. Rather we do all of the supposedly right things because we expect to be noticed and to be rewarded. There is a different condition of the heart when we do things from a place of expectation or entitlement rather than from a place of deep love. The actions may look the same, but the spirit surrounding them and exuding from them is different. We miss out on the joy of the return of our brother.
The father in this story is an example of a perfect father, right? He gives all he has to his two sons, before he dies! When his younger son asks for his share of his inheritance, the father gives both sons all he has. The father must have watched as the younger son left and went so far away, out of touch. How heartbreaking that must have been.
Yet, this father must have kept watching and praying and hoping the son would return, because when the son finally does start his journey to return, the father sees him, “while he was still far off.” The father has compassion for his son and runs to embrace him and to kiss him. The father immediately has a celebration prepared.
The father also reminds the bitter older brother, that all he has belongs to his sons. The father has held nothing back from his children. He has given all to them.
During this Lenten time of examining our lives, especially our lives in Christ, we need to see where we are like the different characters in this story. When do we move away from God, even at times when we are doing great and good things, but just not connected to God? When are we in the hog trough with our actions, attitudes and behavior? When are we so caught up in the rules and so judgmental, and expecting rewards for our “good” behavior, that we are bitter and unloving?
And when are we growing in our faith so that we are the father, full of compassion, generous in our giving, loving and running to embrace the one who is returning? That is our Christian journey…to become more like the father.
An image I’m reminded of when I listen to this parable comes from a country music song, Every Light in the House is On. It reminds me of the joy of the father…of the joy of God when we come to ourselves and move out of the hog trough…when we come to ourselves and realize God has given us all of God and is always with us.
I told you I'd leave a light on
In case you ever wanted to come back home
You smiled and said you appreciate the gesture
I took your every word to heart
'Cause I can't stand us being apart
And just to show how much I really miss ya
Every light in the house is on
The backyard's bright as the crack of dawn
The front walk looks like runway lights
It's kinda like noon in the dead of night
Every light in the house is on
Just in case you ever do get tired of being gone
Every light in the house is on
Amen
Every Light in the House is On: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72AVXpeo_ZI
