March 10 - Breaking the Mold

We all know that a parable is a story within a story whose message teaches us a lesson. And because Jesus had a lot of lessons to teach, he made good use of the parable. And the parable we know best is the one we heard this morning. At first read this is a story about a father and his two sons, one of whom went wild and squandered his inheritance; the other who stayed down on the farm – and got very upset because the father threw a big party when the runaway son returned home. We however, know that there is more to the story. But do we really know how much more? To make sure that we do, today we will take a hard look at this passage. First off, we must recognize that the story is set at a time and in a culture where one’s behavior either brings honor or shame to the family. Though not unusual, the younger son’s request for his inheritance went against all that was acceptable behavior, and would be considered shocking and shameful. What the young man is saying - in so many words – is I am so important that I can’t wait around for my father’s natural death. The insult cuts deeper as in this request, the younger son infers that - for all intents and purposes...his father is of no more use to him, has nothing more to offer him, his father is already dead to him. Next sentence reads, so the father divided his property between them. Traditionally, that would be 2/3rds to the elder and 1/3 to the younger. However, the word property – in the Greek – means more than land or possessions...it literally means one’s essence, one’s living, one’s life. The son is asking for his father to give up his life’s work, all he has worked for, all that he stands for. In essence – the son is dismissing all his father is and has been. In this culture, both father and eldest son had the duty to protect the honor of their family by refusing the request of the younger son. If anything, the youngest son should have been disinherited immediately. Furthermore, when word got out into the community, that the father decided not to disinherit -- it would be a scandal....and if they chose to do so, it would be appropriate for the whole community to shun the father and the elder son. And the scandal worsens as the father is further disgraced when the youngest son took off to a foreign or a distant land. And did what...but squander his property. We have two meanings to consider here. Again the word property meaning one’s living, one’s life or essence = we read and understand that the youngest son squandered all that he was...his very being – in short – his soul. The second meaning of the world property is ...literally the land. You see the father didn’t go to the bank, sell the land, and hand the youngest a bag of cash. He gave him the land. So when the youngest squandered his property = he did so on credit, so to speak. Promising his creditors pieces of his family’s land – as a trade off to finance his wild living. No longer is this about one family – now it’s about the whole community. Because of the young man’s selfish and irresponsible behavior – strangers now have access to the land in this village. Strangers, foreigners, people of ill repute, and who knows what kind of people - will come and they will bring with them strange ideas, strange habits...all of which will upset the established order and perhaps pose a threat to the townspeople’s very lives. All of this brings more shame and disgrace on the father and the eldest son.... – and now shunning is not the issue because this family is at risk of being banished. When there is nothing more to lose = the young man heads home. We read that while the son was still far off, the father saw him. The Greek lets us know that this was not just happenstance. In fact, the Greek lets us know that this was a common practice. The father went out on a regular basis, maybe every day, maybe every time he was outside = surveying the horizon = not only looking = but waiting..and waiting expectantly = trusting that somehow, his son would come home. And when the son’s frame finally showed itself on that horizon, what happens...but the father did a few more shameful and disgraceful things. First, the father went to him...when it would only be right that the son come to him, and asked if he could come into his father’s presence and plead his case. Second, the father ran – grown men with some status and reputation – (even though at this point that status and reputation if pretty well in tatters) grown ment don’t run, cuz when you run - you have to pick up your robes and expose your legs == and you get disheveled and you don’t look respectful - all unacceptable behavior in this culture. Third, the father put his arms around the son and kissed him....literally in the good ol’ Greek – the father fell upon him, actually collapses on him, hung on his neck, sobbed, overwhelmed, tears of joy, and smothered him with kisses – an emotional display that would make anyone blush = and worse, an embarrassing display of emotion toward a wayward son--- who we all know should have been disinherited and sent out of the community from the get go. And then a celebration – a party and people, and a feast. We all know that a parable is a story within a story. This is a story about us – the wayward sons and daughters. A story about God, the father, who goes to any length to love and welcome us; God who waits every second of every day for us to return to him; God who for the love of us is willing to be disgraced and shamed in the streets of first century Jerusalem; God who is willing to be shunned and banished from society; God who goes against the status quo to show his love for us; God who no matter how many times we turn on back on him - embarrasses himself by overlooking our indifference; embarrasses himself in his relentless pursuit of us. God who is willing to literally give up his life, his essence, his very being for a people who have taken off to distant lands and squandered every good gift we have received by his hand; God, in Jesus Christ who upon our return is ready to celebrate by inviting us to a great feast. As Christ sets his face toward Jerusalem and prepares to be nailed and hung on a cross – surely this God – who breaks every mold for our pitiful sakes – is worthy to be considered during this Lent.