This story is so familiar to many of us. It is one that must be told often. We want to read it and absorb it often.

The story of two brothers and a loving father. One brother wants all that is owed to him now. Her is the younger of the two. He asks for his inheritance and he receives it. Asking for his inheritance while his father is still alive. Basically, he is saying, “I have no more use for you, give me what is mine and I will leave home.” The father for some reason does give him his part of the inheritance and off he goes.

There’s a very old saying, who loves not wine, women and song remains a fool his whole life long. He is spending his money with no thought of the consequences. Until, the money runs out. He has lots of friends until he has nothing to give them. I talked to someone who said he thought he had many friends until he retired and the calls stopped. He no longer could help them with connections. He found they used him but did not consider him a friend. The prodigal was surrounded by friends until the money ran out.

Perhaps he has depleted all the resources, his social capital. Perhaps they have helped him so many times, been burned by his promises and going back on his word. He has burned bridges.

Then he becomes hungry. He is reduced to feeding slop to pigs.
When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
As a child of the family, not as a servant who must earn his way back in but fully embraced. The prodigal thinks he will be only a servant at this point. “As a hired servant, I can still keep my distance, still revolt, reject, strike, run away, or complain about my pay. As the beloved son, I have to claim my full dignity and begin preparing myself to become the father.”

So he comes home. And while he his still far off his father sees him runs to him and hugs and kisses him. He said he is no longer worthy to be called his son, but the father isn’t listening to that, quick, kill the fatted calf, call for a celebration, give him a robe, a ring, sandals ….

What joy. If we are the prodigal what joy. A father loves us lavishly. Looks for us while we are still far away. Embraces us, throws a party for us.

End of story right? No, perhaps the most important part of the story is the elder brother’s lack of joy. It is the point because remember why he told these parables?

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” The beginning of the chapter we find out why. The muttering of why is he eating with sinners? He is talking to a lot of elder brothers. Who are resentful of the attention of the love given to those they see as irresponsible and not acting good and proper.

So the elder brother hears the music, the party, the dancing and sees them celebrating. Why he asks those around. You brother has returned!

So the elder brother is angry and refuses to go and celebrate. This is why Jesus told the story. When we are at rock bottom, we know our need. When we are almost there, so close you can hear the music, but refuse to celebrate, this is why the story is told.

So the elder brother defends himself. He has worked hard, did everything right and got it wrong. We do not serve to get brownie points, to win a merit badge. We serve as a means to experience and appreciate God. The works in and of itself is not God. It doesn’t make us superior or more deserving.

So, the father goes to find him. And tells him, all that I have is yours, but your brother was lost and now is found. He was dead and is alive!

The parable ends there. We do not know the rest of the story. Perhaps it was intentional so we can write our own story. Will we celebrate and come to the party, or will we resent the forgiveness of the family we do not see as worthy?

I sometimes imagine the next day, the next month, the next year. I mean if you have ever had a family member who faces addiction or mental illness, you know there are promises broken often. Not one time, but often. What if after being welcomed home, he takes money and wastes it again. What if he falls off the wagon again and promises again to change and again. We have a scripture about that as well. Remember when Peter asks how many times do I forgive? 7 times? Jesus responses with 70 x 7. Not once, but again and again.

Jesus told 2 other lost stories before telling this grand one. He told of leaving 99 sheep to find the lost one. He told of a woman who lost a coin and searching to find it. Sweeping the place clean to discover the treasure. We see God as the shepherd and God as the father. In the middle is God as a woman searching. I notice something about the coin that is lost. Sometimes we do not leave to go to a far country. Sometimes we are lost on the inside. Being far from God is not always about geography. We can be in the proximity of God’s presence and far, far from God. Filled with our scrupulosity and righteousness and far, far from the welcoming God who embraces us.

Church can become simply another place to gain favor of our peers. Another place we try to earn our way into the hearts of others. Sometimes the best place to hide from God is smack in the middle of religion and church.

This grace stuff sometime brings up resentment in us. Unless we hear the story from the perspective of either the prodigal. Or there is another step. We can hear it from the perspective of the Father. We are called to become the welcoming father. Embracing those who have come home.

Where ever we are in the story and it may fluctuate. Some days we may be far, far down the road. Other days we may be within sight squinting to see if we will be welcomed. Some days we may be running home. Some days we may be standing in our righteous anger refusing to celebrate anything. Some days we may be the welcoming father singing and giving love. Where ever we land, God is calling us home.

Softly and tenderly, come home, come home. I know you are weary, come home.

You have a place here in Lima. You have a place deep in the heart of God.

Let us stand and sing, “Softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling”.