3rd Trinity III 2020, Alone Together

3^rd Trinity

Luke 15:1-32

Now many customs officials, despised by the people, who called them sinners and expelled them from their community, sought to be close to Jesus. They wanted to listen to him. The Pharisees and teachers of the law, however, were upset by this and said, “This man accepts sinners and eats with them!”

So he told them this parable:

Julia Stankova

“Who among you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open and go looking for the lost one until they find it? And when they have found it, they lay it on their shoulders rejoicing. And when they come home, they call together their friends and neighbors and say to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost!’

I tell you, there will be more joy in the heavens over one human being, living in denial of the spirit, who changes their mind, than over the ninety-nine righteous who think they have no need of repentance.

Or which woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one, does not light a lamp, sweep the whole house and carefully search until she finds it? And when she has found it she calls together her friends and neighbors and says, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost!’

In the same way, I tell you, there will be joy among the angels in the world of spirit over one human being living in denial of the spirit who manages to change their heart and mind. “

And he said further: “A certain man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Give me the share of the estate which falls to me.’  And he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey to a far country and squandered his estate in the enjoyment of loose living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine came over the land, and he began to be in need. So he went and attached himself to a citizen of the country who sent him out into his fields and let him herd swine. And he longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, but no one gave him anything.

John Macallan

Then he came to himself and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here of hunger. I will rise up and go to my father and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against the higher world and against you. I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Make me one of your hired men [workers].’

So he rose up and traveled along the road to his father. When he was still a long way off, his father saw him, felt his misery, ran toward him, embraced him, and kissed him. And yet the son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against the higher world and against you. I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Make me one of your hired men [workers].’

But the father called his servant to him. ‘Quickly! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet and slaughter the fattened calf. Then we shall eat and be merry. For this, my son was dead and is risen to life. He was lost and is found again.’ And they began to celebrate.

Charalambos Epaminonda

Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he returned home and came near the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants to him and asked him what it meant. He gave him the news: ‘Your brother has come home again. So in joy, your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back again safe and sound.’

The son grew dark with anger and didn’t want to go in. But his father came out and pleaded with him. He, however, reproached his father saying, ‘Look! For so many years, I have been with you and have never neglected one of your commands. But you never gave me so much as a goat that I might be merry with my friends. And now comes this son of yours who has eaten up your wealth in scandal, and you offer him the fattened calf.’

The father, however, said to him ‘Child, you are always with me, and all that I have belongs to you too. But now we should be glad and rejoice; for this, your brother was dead and lives; he was lost and has been found again.’

3^rd Trinity

August 9, 2020

Luke 15:1-32

Our effectiveness, both in the earthly and in spiritual matters, often comes down to one point. That point arrives when we recognize our own responsibility for the results of our actions. That point arrives when we finally realize that the consequences of our actions will require us to make compensation; when, as in the story of the lost son, we come to ourselves.

The parable emphasizes the joy that the father feels upon his son’s return. He expresses it as his dead son coming back to life. Implied is a rebirth, a new beginning. In realistic fashion, the story also expresses the anger the father’s joy arouses in the older self-righteous son.

The story assures us that despite our errors and weaknesses, that despite our

Kathryn Doneghan

grand failures and horrific mistakes, the divine world rejoices when we come to ourselves and to our desire to take responsibility for making compensation. And although the story ends on this note of rejoicing, we might imagine how things developed after the celebration. For although it is implied that the lost son won’t have to resort to being a day-laboring servant, we cannot imagine him wasting his new beginning, that precious moment of self-recognition and the opportunity to make compensation. Likely he went on to work hard to rebuild his father’s diminished estate. Perhaps his experiences in the world gave him the ability to find creative new ways to manage the estate and repay what he had squandered. And we can hope that he will be able to repair his relationship with his brother. In any case, we can be sure that his father’s love supports him in his efforts to make good. The story encourages us to begin again. For as the poet says:

….Every beginning is a promise

born in light ….

Begin to the loneliness that cannot end

since it perhaps is what makes us begin,

begin to wonder at unknown faces

alone together while making good.

 

Though we live in a world that …

always seems about to give in

something that will not acknowledge conclusion

insists that we forever begin.*

 

www.thechristiancommunity.org

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*Brendan Kennelly, “Begin”, in Do Not Go Gentle