3rd August 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: “What man among you, who has a
hundred sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the
open and go looking for the lost one until he finds it? And when he has found
it, he lays it on his shoulders rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls
together his friends and neighbors and says 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 his mind, than over the
ninety-nine righteous who think they have no need of repentance.
 |
| Lost Drachma, Tissot, Brooklyn Museum |
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 his 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.
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 to be 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 to be called
your son. Make me one of your hired men [workers].’
 |
| Return of Prodigal Son, Rembrandt, Wiki |
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.
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.’
3rd August Trinity
August 9, 2015
Luke 15:1-32
Losing something that belongs to us means of course that
we are separated from it. Being lost ourselves, losing our way, means having
lost our own orientation, not being able to find our goal. Perhaps we don’t
even know what it is.
The stories in today’s readings are about both losing and
being lost. And yet each narrative ends in rejoicing. Through the human being’s
diligent searching, the lost coin and sheep were found. And the son, who
himself was lost in the far country, turns himself around and makes his way home.
We search for what we have lost, whether it is a precious
thing of value, or it is our own orientation and goal. For this is what it
means to be truly human: to be aware of separation, to seek and to find, even
when searching and finding are arduous and painful. Searching and finding are basic keys to our humanity.
We ourselves are all a bit lost, separated from our own true being and our home in the divine world. We are separated from our true selves and thus from our own real future. At the same time, the good beings of that world, like the son’s father in the story, are on the look-out for us. They cannot go out and search for us (though One did). They cannot drag us back. The return is our own choice, accomplished through our own efforts. But our heavenly Father and the whole angelic household are watching and waiting for us. They are sending out their love, as a golden guide home. And they greet our return with great joy, celebration and laughter. The poet Hafiz says:
Laughter is the polestar
 |
| Polestar (North Star) |
Held in the sky by our Beloved,
Who eternally says,
"Yes, dear ones, come this
way,
Come this way towards Me and
Love!
….
O what is laughter, …?
What is this precious love and
laughter
Budding in our hearts?
It is the glorious sound
Of a soul waking up!*
Having once found the way, we can always return. And both we
and the good beings rejoice, even if we can only stay for an hour.
* Hafiz, “Laughter”, in I
Heard God Laughing, Renderings of Hafiz, by Daniel Ladinsky, p. 125.
