Advent Lutheran Church

"Overshadowed by Joy"

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him.  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: "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.'" 

Overshadowed by Joy  
The parable of the Prodigal son at first glance seems an easy story to understand. Is it? Not at all, when you begin to consider the three men in the story.  Do I identify with the younger brother, the older brother, or the father?  I think perhaps all three.

I have certainly squandered away things such as time and opportunities to become a better Christian. As the older brother felt, so have I felt at times, the martyr doing things no one else wanted to do. As a mother, I know without a doubt that I will always welcome my children without reservation.

When I think of our Heavenly Father and how he welcomes us it is overwhelming. When we, as the younger son did stray, not just away from home but also away from God, it saddens Him. Bitterness and jealousy such as the older son exhibited saddens God too.  When we turn to God though, sadness is overshadowed by joy.

During this Lenten season I will try to thank God daily for his welcoming grace and strive to be worthy of it.