Wayne Sigelko’s Homily from March 27, 2022

The Lost Sons: 4th Sunday of Lent, 2022
Since thisis the longest of Jesus’ parables, and I don’t intend to rush it, I invite you to please sit. Since itis
also among the most familiar passages of the Bible, Ialso invite us all to pause for just a few seconds,
close our eyes, and enter into our deepest listening selves perhaps to hear these words we have heard so
often in a new way.
A Reading from the Gospel according to Luke…(Luke 15:1-3, llb-32)
The scandal begins right at the start of today’s Gospel. “All the tax collectors and sinners were coming
near to listen to Jesus.” The use of the progressive form of the verb in Greek that we have translated as
“were coming” suggests that this was not just a one-time thing but an ongoing feature of Jesus’ ministry.
And it’s worse than just that as the grumbling of the Pharisees and scribes makes clear “This man
welcomes sinners and eats with them.” In Jesus’ time, as in our own, to sit down and eat with someone
conveys openness and acceptance, even a level of friendship.
So Jesus is REGULARLY attracting, teaching and even befriending the wrong kind of people.
In response to their grumbling, Jesus tells three stories of the lost: The lost sheep, the lost coin, and
today’s most profound story of lostness: the story of the lost children.
This is NOT the story of “The Prodigal Son” which isthe way in which religious people have both
romanticized and distorted the meaning of this particular parable. Jesus did not tell this story so that the
people he was speaking to would tear up at this tender image of the father lavishing love and forgiveness
on this most wayward of children. And, it’s a good thing he didn’t because, as Timothy Keller writes in his
book Prodigal God:
“The original listeners werenot melted into tears by this story but rather they were thunderstruck,
offended, and infuriated. Jesus’ purpose is not to warm our hearts but to shatter our categories.”
Pay attention to all the ways that Jesus has made the younger son unloveable. The gross disrespect for
his father. Drunken and and sexually debauched. And, as a final touch, Jesus throws him in the pen with
the most unclean of animals, pigs. (He could have at least put him in with sheep.) And, it’s not as ifthe
brat comes home because he has become aware of the hurt he has caused to his family. He comes home
because he is desperate, starving.
Had Jesus wanted primarily to tell the story of God’s unwavering, even prodigal, love and willingness to
forgive he would have stopped with the father’s rejoicing at his son’s return. It would have complemented
and completed the stories of the lost sheep and coin-illustrating even more vividly God’s unlimited love
and compassion for all of us. There would have been no need in the story for a righteous older sibling.
It is at the point, “Now his older son was in the field…” where the heart of the message lies. Upon
learning that the noises of celebration he is hearing are to welcome back his scum bag of a brother, the
older son refuses to come in. In front of all his guests, his father has to leave the celebration to come out
and plead with him. The son reproaches his father for the extravagant way in which he has welcomed
back the “lost” son and contrasts it with the miserly way he, the “faithful” son, has been rewarded.
Jesus has set this up carefully so that much ifnot most of his audience feels sympathy for this
obedient older child. One of the problems with our having heard this story so often isthat we have lost
much of our inclination to be on the side of the older son, or atleast our willingness to show it
publicly. In listening to the older son’s grievances we should be sitting here nodding our heads
going, “yeah, what about those of us who didn’t humiliate you and squander your property-those of us
who have worked so hard to please you?” And, the correction given the father is so much more effective
because itis given so gently:
“My child, 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.”
Interestingly, Jesus ends the story without telling us what happened with the older, righteous brother. I
think that was done deliberately-as if to challenge the scribes and Pharisees, by which I mean us, “are
you coming into the celebration, or not?”
Today’s parable is a reminder to all of us that there is more than one way to be lost. And, itis especially
pointed in its message to those of us who consider ourselves “churched” or otherwise righteous. When
we grumble, inwhatever way, about the God who welcomes sinners and tax collectors warmly, we
deny the very one who made us and delude ourselves about our own status within God’s realm.
When we make a religion out of our focus on who is NOT invited to the table we betray how little we
understand or accept the gospel of Jesus and blaspheme against the infinite mercy of God.
Let us pray:
For the people of Ukraine,the people of Russia and all those who are suffering unspeakable loss because
of violence and war, mayour hearts be transformed and purged of the desire to dominate others, we
pray.
For refugees, and those who welcome them. Giveus generous hearts so that we might respond faithfully
to one of the oldest commands God has given us-that we treat the “stranger” in our midst with love
and compassi on.
For the church and all people of faith, may we be given the grace to welcome all, sinners and saints, with
the same prodigal love and forgiveness that Jesus presents to us in today’s gospel.
For all of those who are sick, those who are dying, and all of the people who love and care for them.
May God give healing, comfort and peace.
For those listedin our book of intentions and all who have asked for our prayers.
It has become our custom to take a moment and quietly mention individuals for whom we wish to pray…
Prodigal God,you flood over us with love and forgiveness regardless of our worthiness. Teach us to judge
less, love more and forgive generously. We make all these prayers in the name of Jesus