Fourth Sunday Of Lent
FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT, CYCLE C
LUKE 15:1-3,11-32 (Joshua 5:9a, 10-12; Psalm 34:2-7; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
The fifteenth chapter of Luke's gospel is the Lost and Found section of his gospel. A major theme of Luke's theology is repentance and forgiveness. The three stories or parables that comprise this chapter are prime examples of this major theme. Luke sets the tone or sounds the theme with a headline, "Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to Jesus to listen to him." It would be normal for people not generally accepted and respected by society at large to gather around a charismatic figure who demonstrates love and concern for them. It is clear from all the gospels that Jesus was like that. Not everyone agreed that a man with a decent reputation as a village carpenter, who mysteriously "got religion," should be seen publicly associating with society's lowlife. Luke comments on the highbrow attitude of Jesus' critics, "This man welcomes sinners, even eats with them."
Table fellowship with agents of the Internal Revenue Service? Prostitutes? Merchants? Medical Doctors? According to one ancient Jewish source, the last two categories were regarded as sinners because in their professions they had to deal with women customers and clients. A strange world and a prime example of the outcome of religious fanaticism! The Lucan Jesus had to deal with this attitude. Therefore Luke writes, "So to them Jesus addressed this parable." He actually addressed three parables to them, but our gospel reading omits the first two and moves on to the parable familiar to all, and is usually called 'The Parable of the Prodigal Son." Prodigal means "free-spending," like maxing out all one's credit cards. We should at least mention the first and second of this chapter's three parables. The first is the Parable of the Lost Sheep. The second is the Parable of the Lost Coin. Both end in great rejoicing because the lost object is recovered. Luke's interpretation of these parables is basically the same as that of the third parable, so let's postpone the interpretation until the end.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son: a father has two sons. The younger son asks for his share of the inheritance. The father gives it to him. He takes off for parts unknown, perhaps "Sin City," and blows it all. That is prodigality! We find out later on what this sad child spent his inheritance. Famine was a common scourge in ancient times. When a famine hit the area in which the boy settled, "He was in great need." He found a job - herding and feeding swine. Recall that this is a Jewish boy working with and for a herd of animals considered "unclean," not because they love to wallow in mud, but because of Jewish ritual law, "And the swine, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you," Go figure! He could not eat their meat but could eat their food, something like carob pods on which the swine fed. Still there was a problem - no one offered him any swine food.
The boy comes to his senses. He knows that even his father's employees have plenty to eat. Since he had dissipated his inheritance, he had no more claims on his father, at least so he thought. He would ask his father for employment. He readied his Act of Contrition and headed to his father's house. His father saw him approaching, ran out to him, embraced him and kissed him. The son recited his Act of Contrition, but the father reacted in an unexpected way. He had this still externally "unclean" boy dressed with the finest robe, slipped a ring on his finger, sandals on his feet. Wealthy people kept a "fatted calf” for occasions of great joy. This calf was slaughtered. A party with food and dancing welcomed the repentant sinner home.
What should be said? Crazy old man is out of his mind? So it seems from a human point of view. The older son, who stayed at home, always hard-working, obedient to his father certainly thought so. Green (or red) with envy he accuses his father of favoring this bum who wasted his money on prostitutes. Rumors must have travelled back home. The older son notes that while that "son of yours" gets a party and fatted calf, "I get no party, not even a goat to roast with my friends." The father consoles him, "All I have is yours, but really we should celebrate because "this brother of yours was dead and has come to life again." The father reminds the older son that the returnee whom he rejected as a brother when he said, "this son of yours," is still "this brother of yours." One purpose of a parable is to get the addressees to see themselves in some character in the story. In this case Jesus' critics are reminded that the “sinners” they despise are truly their own sisters and brothers. Jesus' outreach to them is an example they should imitate.
By extending the story from parable to allegory, we can extend the interpretation of the story. In an allegory various characters in the story represent someone or some thing. The younger son is the sinner who repents. The older son is the sinner who is filled with envy and resentment. The father of the story is the Divine Father (perhaps the Divine Fool!) whose forgiveness of a repentant sinner is unlimited. Luke, who seems to be writing his gospel primarily for non-Jews, that is, Gentiles, probably has in mind the struggle of Gentiles not only for acceptance into the Christian Community but for equality with "the older brothers," Christian Jews. The story of that struggle of the first century is preserved in the gospels. Acts of Apostles, and Paul's letters. The divine character of this wonderful gospel story is evident in its openness to ever new interpretations. Apart from its obvious and frequent use in sacramental reconciliation liturgies, it is easily applied to every individual Christian who recognizes his sinfulness and turns to God for that unlimited forgiveness. Amazing Grace expresses it well, "Once I was lost, but now I am found."
