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March 21,  2004;  The Fourth Sunday of Lent, Year C
    The Rev. Harold "Skip" Comer, Rector

The parables of Jesus are like windows and mirrors.   There are parables that are like a window in the sense that they allow us to catch a glimpse of what God and his kingdom are like.   Examples of window parables are: the lost sheep,[i] and the lost coin,[ii] both of which precede the parable of the Prodigal Son that we just heard this morning.  Through these parables Jesus attempts to reveal the nature of God who is passionately in love with his creation.   The parables are almost silly in the rejoicing that occurs when one insignificant sheep or coin is found.  Some parables are more like a mirror because they are a reflection of peoples’ attitudes and behaviors.  Parables like the Good Samaritan,[iii] and the Sower[iv] were used by Jesus to reflect, or illustrate, healthy and unhealthy responses to God and other people.  And then there are some parables which have characteristics of both a window and a mirror.   Such is the case with the parable of the Prodigal Son.  This parable is a window in that it allows us to catch a glimpse of what God the Father is really like.   It is a mirror in that we see two brothers who reflect the actions and behaviors of many people toward God.  It is also possible that we see our own reflection in one of the two sons.

I would like for us to image standing in front of a mirror for a moment.  If we were to be honest with ourselves, most of us would have to admit that at one time or another we have at least considered running away from home.  We have all had times when we have felt oppressed, restrained, or smothered.  We have longed to get away from it all – to be free.   The thought may have entered our mind when we were growing up, or maybe the thought has even crossed our mind as an adult.

Why do people want to run away?  Some reasons can be drawn from the parable.  To get away from it all – all being the relationships and responsibilities that exists in a family.  The younger son decided to run away in order to be free – to be able to do what ever he wanted whenever he felt like it.

This is the “folly” according to Pastor LaRue Loughhead.  “The younger son wanted to be his own boss, his own master, in complete control of his fate.  But soon his appetite, wants and desires became the master of him.  Wanting this, he bought it.  Hungering for that, he got it.  Liking what he saw, he acquired it.  And that master, a composite of his appetites, wants, and desires, demanded everything, and finally he was left with nothing.  Before long the fun was over and he started paying for his freedom by having to slop the hogs.” [v]  When we look into the mirror, who do we see that has become our boss or master? 

Many Christians when they stand in front of the mirror do not see themselves as the youngest son, rather they see themselves as the eldest son – loyal, obedient, and dependable.  They are there for the church to do the work, like the eldest son, who kept the farm going, even though he now had to do the work of two people.  People like this have a loyalty to the parish family and would not dream of abandoning it.  Yet for all of the good qualities of the eldest son types, sometimes a flaw can develop.  It is the flaw of exclusivism – those who do not measure up are not allowed in, or allowed to return.

I sense resentment in the eldest son’s conversation with his father upon learning that dad is going to throw a party for his younger brother who has returned home.  There is anger, perhaps even envy and jealousy; because of the attention that dad is giving to this other son of his, the one who hurt him so much by leaving and wasting part of the family fortune on trivial things. In some respects this brother’s response is natural.  But as the story is told by Jesus, this not is a response or attitude to be lauded.  Listen to the words of Jesus, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.  But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.”

If we peek through the window we will see that both sons were out of sync with their father.  The youngest wanted to be his own master, setting his own rules and conditions, even as he returned home.  The oldest son had somewhat of a self-righteous attitude, which hindered him from embracing his foolish brother.  The centrality of the father’s actions in the parable is crucial, as he cuts through the attempts of both of his sons to try to control the relationships within the family.  The father does not accept the younger son’s conditions of his return, but rather restores him to the full status of his son, without any conditions attached.  Likewise the father goes out to the eldest son and takes the wind out of his sail by reminding him that he has and always will love and care for him.

But the parable is about more than the relationship between a father and his sons.  It is a story intended to illustrate the love that God has for us.  The young son characterizes sinners who run or wander away from God’s grace.   The eldest son characterizes the faithful who are there day and night trying to live the Christian life.  The father is God, who is always ready to welcome home his wayward sons and daughters.

This parable is often referred to as the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  The meaning of prodigal according to the Webster dictionary is: (1) recklessly extravagant, (2) characterized by wasteful expenditure, and (3) yielding abundantly.  The second definition certainly describes the youngest son.  But the first definition describes the father – recklessly extravagant.  The parable is really about the reckless extravagance of God in wanting to embrace his children.   It is the Good News of the Gospel, that through Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven and we are reconciled with God, who rejoicing runs to meet us with open arms.

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