Welcome (65:1, 9-13)

Praise is due to you,
  O God, in Zion;
You visit the earth and water it,
  you greatly enrich it;
the river of God is full of water;
  you provide the people with grain,
  for so you have prepared it.
You water its furrows abundantly,
  settling its ridges,
softening it with showers,
  and blessing its growth.
You crown the year with your bounty;
  your wagon tracks overflow with richness.
The pastures of the wilderness overflow,
  the hills gird themselves with joy,
the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
  the valleys deck themselves with grain,
  they shout and sing together for joy.

I surrender all

Call to Worship (Psalm 65:1-4)

Praise is due to you,
  O God, in Zion;
and to you shall vows be performed,
  O you who answer prayer!
To you all flesh shall come.
When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us,
  you forgive our transgressions.
Happy are those whom you choose and bring near
  to live in your courts.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
  your holy temple.

Faithful One

Prayer (from the Lectionary)

God of wilderness and water,
your Son was baptized and tempted as we are.
Guide us through this season,
that we may not avoid struggle,
but open ourselves to blessing,
through the cleansing depths of repentance
and the heaven-rending words of the Spirit. Amen
 

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. 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. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 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. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 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! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” 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. 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.

‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 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. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” Then the father said to him, “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.” 

Sermon: Prodigal and Us

One of the most endearing parables is the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Many people have said more than enough about this parable, but it is always worthwhile for us to take a good look at it. For the next three weeks, we will meditate on it. Today we will look from the perspectives of the prodigal son. After all, this is where we think God’s grace is felt the most.

The story from the prodigal son’s perspective is fairly straightforward. The young man has grown up. He is now wanting to be part of the world for a big time. What is clear is that he is from a well-to-do family. He has not really suffered much. He did not grow up poor. He feels entitled. He is brash and bold enough to tell his father to give him what he wants. Many commentators have pointed out that in Jesus’ time, to ask for his portion of inheritance was like telling his father to go and die because he was asking for what would have been his only after the death of his father.

In the parable, the father does not argue with his son. Instead, he grants his son’s request. So much can be said about the father at this stage. However, we will come to this next week. 

Soon we learn more about this second son who goes away and spends all he received. Without having any experience in life other than living large at this father’s expense, he knows little or nothing about life. It is no surprise that everything he owns gets used up. He is left with nothing. For the first time in life he finds out what life is really like. No one is there to welcome him. No one is kind to the one in need. He is hungry and destitute. He is looking after pigs at the most, sleeping with and eating what pigs eat. We may not get the seriousness of this image, but for Jews, people listening to Jesus, know how unclean and outcast this young man is. No Jew in his right mind deals with people who are so unclean as those who work with pigs. Pigs are the dirtiest among all animals. Jews would not go near.

In this suffering, life teaches this son a harsh lesson. Through destitution and hunger he comes to see how low he has sunk. He realizes that he is no longer entitled to be called a son of his father. After all, he disowned his father with arrogance beyond measure. His older brother was the witness. He voluntarily took himself off his father’s family by treating his father as dead by demanding the inheritance. Now he comes to a different understanding and sees how generous his father is even to servants. He returns in order to beg his father to treat him as a servant.

On his return, he first sees his father run to him. It is a totally unexpected welcome. He was more worried about him being a sinner who rejected his own father and went away to find life. He thought he was dead to his father. As we said earlier, he did indeed show no respect toward his father when he demanded that his father give him the inheritance as if he were dead. Being able to think all these things may give him not only guilt but the realization of his own foolishness. So what can he make of his father racing out to him with totally open arms?

The prodigal son knew how far he had fallen. He is not returning back to his father triumphantly. Rather, he is coming in total defeat. Just imagine what he looks like as he limps toward home. He has been sleeping with pigs in a pigsty. For a while he shared pigs' food. Can you imagine how haggard he looks now in those dirty clothes? Can you see how his clothes are caked with mud that pigs roll in? Can you smell the stench he brings? How about the unwashed hair, hands, fingers, fingernails? 

To this totally unrecognizable person, a well dressed man runs with open arms. Dirt, stench, uncleanness and unkempt appearances are pushed aside as the father runs and puts his arm around this wretched man. No one wants this beggar who has nothing to offer after having spent all that he had. No one in their right mind gives a second chance to such a failure. Yet, his father does not see the beggar, the dirty and unclean person whom everyone stays away lest they be dirtied, but his own son. In the eyes of the father, he is the beloved son who is returning home.

How does the son interpret father’s gladness? He is full of guilt, shame and despair. He sees no way out. Only thing he can think about is that if he is to survive in this life he needs to beg his father to allow him to be a servant. There is no dignity, sense of confidence or strong will left in him. He is totally broken as a human being. His one track mind only can fathom that if he can fill his stomach with something that resembles good food to satisfy his hunger, he would be grateful.

In his father’s embrace the son tells the father that he is a sinner not worthy to be a son. This confession is the last speech we hear from this prodigal son. From this point on he is heard no more. In a way what this parable seems to focus on is that initial speeches both sons reveal their myopic view of who they are and what they are in relation to their father’s love. They are totally mired in their own self-destructive sinful ways. We will discuss the older brother’s speech next week. Suffice it to say here that both sons’ initial words to their father are spoken out of sin.

Going back to the prodigal son, we need to focus on the way that only through suffering in life does this son finally get to experience the fullness of father’s love. Only when he completely lost everything that made who he was, including his sense of self, was he able to realize the unconditional love of his father. Though the love of the father was always there for him, it was in his complete destitution he came to know the truth of his father’s love for him.

This loss of selfhood is what we ponder about today. In a way, through life’s circumstances, the prodigal son was able to deny himself completely, take up his cross and walk his way back home. Denying himself in this case is done in a roundabout way. By losing everything through spending wildly and getting lost in life, he was able to realize that he came to the point where he can do nothing else but deny himself. It was not of his choosing. No. Yet, through his loss of everything he thought he was, he found his way home.

This is something for us to think about this Lent as most of us try to find ourselves and our own way in the world. What if the road to home involves giving up on everything we have been doing? If this is so, what is Jesus asking us to do by telling us his parable?

Prayer

O God,

On this third week of Lent, we lift our eyes. We lift them and look around us to see if we can behold your glory. In this sin filled world, with our eyes often set on things of our hearts, we are unable to recognize you in this world. Our eyes search for you among those who are saintly, pious and well to do. Our eyes turn away from those who are hungry, weak and meek. Remind us how you are with your people who are lot, despairing, sinful and casted out. Cleanse our eyes so that we may see you.

As we ponder about the prodigal son parable your Son told us, we wonder how often we behaved like this prodigal son by going away from you confidently in pride. Like him, often, we deride you. We puff ourselves up thinking that there is none like ourselves and there is nothing we cannot do with the right amount of money and power. Forgive our foolishness. Humble us by your Holy Spirit. Make us follow your Son in humility.

On this day, as we pray, we pray for Isla. Keep her in your care always. Be with her and if it is your will, heal her.

We pray for all who have come to Canada hoping for a life of blessings. Many are struggling as they try to find jobs. Many are feeling anxious and fearful. Guide and protect them. Give them hope and faith as they search. May your people find a life of peace and prosperity as they settle in this new place.

We pray for those who seek you and thirst for you. There are many. Centre their hearts on you always as you guide them through all their days.

In your Son’s name we pray. Amen.

Guide me, o Thou great Redeemer

Benediction