 |
| Prodigal Returns by Soichi Watanabe |
The “Parable of the Prodigal Son” might just as easily be called “The Parable of the Forgiving Father,” for it is the action of the father in the story that Jesus is emphasizing.
1st Reading: Joshua
5:9-12
The
book of Joshua picks up the story of the Israelite tribes’ entrance into the
promised land after the death of Moses. Once they have arrived, they celebrate
the Passover. After this celebration,
the food that had sustained them in the wilderness ceases and the promise is
fulfilled as they eat the produce of the land.
All of these are signs that Israel’s disgrace in Egypt has become grace
in Canaan.
5:9 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have
rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.” And so that place is called Gilgal
to this day. 10 While the
Israelites were camped in Gilgal they kept the passover in the evening on the
fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. 11 On the day after the passover, on that very
day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12 The manna ceased on the day they ate the
produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops
of the land of Canaan that year.
Psalm 32
Psalm 32 is a song of thanksgiving for the forgiveness of
sins. The psalm testifies that
confession of sin leads to happiness (or blessedness) in an immediate sense.
This psalm is connected by some scholars to David’s confession after the
Uriah-Bathsheba incident, where, in the space of one verse (2 Samuel 12:13),
David confesses his guilt and the prophet Nathan says, “Now the Lord has put away all your sin.”
1 Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, *
and whose sin is put
away!
2 Happy are they to whom the Lord
imputes no guilt, *
and in whose spirit
there is no guile!
3 While I held my tongue, my bones withered away, *
because of my
groaning all day long.
4 For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; *
my moisture was dried
up as in the heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, *
and did not conceal
my guilt.
6 I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” *
Then you forgave me
the guilt of my sin.
7 Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in
time
of trouble; *
when the great
waters overflow, they shall not reach them.
8 You are my hiding-place;
you preserve me from
trouble; *
you surround me with
shouts of deliverance.
9 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should
go; *
I will guide you
with my eye.
10 Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; *
who must be fitted
with bit and bridle,
or else they will
not stay near you.”
11 Great are the tribulations of the wicked; *
but mercy embraces
those who trust in the Lord.
12 Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord; *
shout for joy, all
who are true of heart.
2nd Reading: 2
Corinthians 5:16-21
The word “therefore” at the
beginning of this reading begs the question of what has come before it. In chapter five, Paul speaks of the hardships
he has endured, and that he expects all followers of Jesus will endure. These
hardships, though very real, do not cause him to lose faith. He remains
confident in God’s purposes for him and us.
Verse 14 begins, “For the love of Christ urges us on,” because of the
conviction that one has died and is risen so that we might live, and not only
live, but live for others. This leads into the following verses which emphasize
the ministry of reconciliation to which all of us are called. Thus the Catechism of The Book of Common
Prayer teaches that it is the church’s primary mission “to restore all people
to unity with God and each other in Christ” (p. 855).
5:16 From now on,
therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once
knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new
creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to
himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the
world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting
the message of reconciliation to us. 20 So
we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we
entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew
no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Gospel Reading:
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
The
“Parable of the Prodigal Son” might just as easily be called “The Parable of
the Forgiving Father,” for it is the action of the father in the story that
Jesus is emphasizing. That the father’s
easy acceptance of the younger son’s return was a scandal to the older brother
is what we are called upon to consider. The company that Jesus kept was a
scandal to the pious of his day. The Gospel is not a morality play, but the record
of a God who cannot help loving his children, even those at whom the world
looks askance. The skipped verses were
two shorter parables with the same message.
15:1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to
listen to Jesus. 2 And the
Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes
sinners and eats with them.” 3 So
he told them this parable: 11b “There
was a man who had two sons. 12 The
younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property
that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered
all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his
property in dissolute living. 14 When
he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country,
and he began to be in need. 15 So
he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent
him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He
would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and
no one gave him anything. 17 But
when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have
bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I
will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your
son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’ 20
So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far
off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms
around him and kissed him. 21 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.’ 22 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. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and
let us eat and celebrate; 24 for
this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And
they began to celebrate. 25 Now his
elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard
music and dancing. 26 He called one
of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He
replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf,
because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28 Then
he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead
with him. 29 But he answered his
father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you,
and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a
young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who
has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for
him!’ 31 Then the father said to
him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 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.’”
The
readings are taken from The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible ©
1989 by The Division of Christian Education of The National Council of Churches
of Christ in the U.S.A. The translation
of the Psalm is from The Book of Common Prayer. Commentary on the
readings is copyright © 2019, Epiphany Esources, 67 E Main St, Hornell, NY
14843, www.epiphanyesources.com.
All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy for group study with attribution.
Bulletin inserts are available. Go to our website for more information.
No comments:
Post a Comment