March 7th Reflection by Bill Lynch

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’

 So he told them this parable:
 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.” ’

Reflection
God just loves to go out and find the lost. That's you and me. We all were lost at some point in our lives. We all have sinned and have been lost in that sin. And God just loves to save the lost. God loves it so much he sent his son Jesus to come to us just like one of us and save the lost.

So in this passage we have a story of a young man that decided he would like to have his share of his father's estate prior to the proper time of awarding that estate by the Father. The Father agrees and gives his son probably about on third of what the son could expect to inherit. What a leap of faith by the Father. What if something would happen to his estate that would wipe it out before his death? Yet the love of the Father for his youngest son led him to give away the inheritance before the father had even died.

Now think of the older son. The Father still had the rights to the older son's inheritance until the Father died. The older son didn't have any guarantee that he would inherit anything at all. Who knows what the inheritance would be at the end of the father's life?

Yet, the younger son took what the Father gave him and turned it into cash and wasted it away from home and away from his parents advice and wisdom. Wasted it to the point that the youngest son needed a job feeding the pigs. How insulting for a Jew! The youngest son had lost all of his friends and all of his money. The youngest son was truly lost.

When we are truly lost, we are humble. Ask any man. The youngest son was lost and now knew that he needed to humble himself and repent. Repent of his separation from the Father. Repent of his selfish actions with what the Father had given him in love.

God just loves to go out and find the lost. That's you and me. That's the youngest son. We come back humble and repent of whatever we have done to separate ourselves from the Father. We come humble and repent. In this, the Father is joyous beyond belief. The Father was looking for the youngest son to return. The Father was waiting and willing to love once again. The Father receives the youngest son and throws a party. God just loves to go out and find the lost. That's you and me.

Did the older brother ever come around in joy for his younger brother? We don't know. The older brother was like the Pharisees in this passage. Will you accept and be joyful for the lost that return to the loving arms of God?

God just loves to go out and find the lost. That's you and me.

Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord; we return to you humble and in need of salvation. You are our only hope for life. Forgive our selfish and sinful ways and restore us to your grace... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen