How Was the Family Reunion?

“Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly, bring out a robe--the best one--and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!' And they began to celebrate.” From Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Many of us were taught to listen to parables for the surprise element. Parables are meant to challenge us and lead us to deeper reflection of the text. This Sunday we hear the beloved and well-known parable of the Prodigal Son. Sometimes it is hard to crack open the challenge in a familiar story, but when we read this text closely there is a lot that is left unresolved. We know that the prodigal son was welcomed back with generosity few of us could manage, even after his betrayal and actions. We know the eldest son (the loyal, well-behaved rule-follower) felt like he was being treated unfairly given his brother’s disloyal behavior. We aren’t sure how the eldest son reacted to the father’s response reassuring him that he loved the eldest son just as much.

Before last Monday’s weekly Bible study conversation, I never really thought about how the younger son felt when he was welcomed back. I never thought about what the celebration felt like to him. While the father was joyously honoring his son’s return with a party, it’s easy to imagine that neighbors or relatives were whispering in the corner about that son and his poor behavior. Perhaps they gossiped about the father’s lack of judgement in forgiving the son so quickly. Did everyone celebrate as the father did or was it a mixed scene of confusion, judgment, posturing, and sheer awkwardness as people tried to make sense of what happened. This feels much more normal to me than assuming it all went off without a hitch and never again were the broken relationships discussed.

Reconciliation is a process of stepping toward the restoration of relationship and then slipping into moments of feeling bitter about how we were wronged, before moving toward that restoration again. Trust is only rebuilt over time and that younger son had forever impacted the financial resources of his whole family.

An important question is whether the son who was offered forgiveness was in a place to receive it. He became deeply aware of his own failure and offered himself back to his family, expecting nothing but to be assigned to the servant quarters. I suspect that after his actions, in some ways the shame of demotion would be easier to accept. How much more difficult would it be to be decked out in a new robe and given such an extravagant welcome? Could he even meet the eyes of his older brother during that celebration? 

If we imagine this as the extravagant welcome God offers each one of us, we need to acknowledge that sometimes that level of generosity and care is hard to fully absorb. We’ve all quickly dismissed a compliment or thank you as unnecessary. We may carry such a burden of guilt that it becomes a badge we wear proudly. But God is calling us to a new freedom and that requires us embracing God’s radical acceptance of the worst in us, so we may offer that same freedom to others. What do you need to set aside in order to accept forgiveness and freedom?

Peace, Beth +