Sunday Meditation: The Shame of the Prodigal Son

In the Fourth Sunday of Lent in year C we get another parable, this time the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  Three years ago when we had this Gospel reading I posted I embedded a clip the movie Jesus of Nazareth with Jesus telling this parable, and I also embedded a clip from Dr. Brant Pitre whose exegesis of the parable focused on the older son.  It’s worth looking back if you have the time.  This year I’d like to focus on the younger son who in many ways stands for all we sinners as we make our way back to our Father in heaven.

 

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,

but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,

“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

So to them Jesus addressed this parable:

“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,

‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’

So the father divided the property between them.

After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings

and set off to a distant country

where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.

When he had freely spent everything,

a severe famine struck that country,

and he found himself in dire need.

So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens

who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.

And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,

but nobody gave him any.

Coming to his senses he thought,

‘How many of my father’s hired workers

have more than enough food to eat,

but here am I, dying from hunger.

I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,

“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I no longer deserve to be called your son;

treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’

So he got up and went back to his father.

While he was still a long way off,

his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.

He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.

His son said to him,

‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;

I no longer deserve to be called your son.’

But his father ordered his servants,

‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him;

put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.

Then let us celebrate with a feast,

because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;

he was lost, and has been found.’

Then the celebration began.

Now the older son had been out in the field

and, on his way back, as he neared the house,

he heard the sound of music and dancing.

He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.

The servant said to him,

‘Your brother has returned

and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf

because he has him back safe and sound.’

He became angry,

and when he refused to enter the house,

his father came out and pleaded with him.

He said to his father in reply,

‘Look, all these years I served you

and not once did I disobey your orders;

yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.

But when your son returns

who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,

for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’

He said to him,

‘My son, you are here with me always;

everything I have is yours.

But now we must celebrate and rejoice,

because your brother was dead and has come to life again;

he was lost and has been found.'"

~Lk 15:1-3, 11-32

Fr. Geoffrey Plant has a great explanation of what a parable is, and what this parable means. 

I thought it insightful that this parable in Chapter 15 of Luke is the culmination of a series of parables, three in all, where something lost is found.  As to what a parable is, Fr. Geoffrey quotes a C.C. Dodd on the four aspects of a parable:

·         A metaphor or simile

·         Drawn from nature or common life

·         Arresting the hearer by its vividness or strangeness

·         Leaves the mind in sufficient doubt about its precise application to tease it into active thought

I would add something else from my reading of Jesus’s parables over the years.  A parable is so simple a narrative construct that we can apply it to our lives rather than project a self-contained story.  The meaning is only fulfilled by projecting our lives into the story.

There is so much other good information in Fr. Geoffrey’s homily, such as who were the Pharisees, what should the name of the parable be, and the concept of shame and honor.  Also Fr. Geoffrey questions the sincerity of the returning son.  Do you think the son was sincere?  I think so, but I can see Fr. Geoffrey’s point.  What do you think?

For the pastoral homily I really liked Fr. Joseph Mary of the Capuchin Franciscans with his vlog, A Simple Word. 

 

 

Sunday Meditation: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son”

 

For the hymn I may shock people with this selection.  It’s from the Rolling Stones—yes, the famous rock group that has a number of songs idolizing intemperance.  But they also recorded a cover version of a Gospel/Blues song, “Prodigal Son,” written and performed by Reverend Robert Wilkins.    Here is the Stones’ version.

 

If you didn’t catch the lyrics, here they are:

 

Prodigal Son

(Wilkins)

 

Well a poor boy took his father's bread and started down the road

Started down the road

Took all he had and started down the road

Going out in this world, where God only knows

And that'll be the way to get along

 

Well poor boy spent all he had, famine come in the land

Famine come in the land

Spent all he had and famine come in the land

Said, "I believe I'll go and hire me to some man"

And that'll be the way I'll get along

 

Well, man said, "I'll give you a job for to feed my swine

For to feed my swine

I'll give you a job for to feed my swine"

Boy stood there and hung his head and cried

`Cause that is no way to get along

 

Said, "I believe I'll ride, believe I'll go back home

Believe I'll go back home

Believe I'll ride, believe I'll go back home

Or down the road as far as I can go"

And that'll be the way to get along

 

Well, father said, "See my son coming home to me

Coming home to me"

Father ran and fell down on his knees

Said, "Sing and praise, Lord have mercy on me"

Mercy

 

Oh poor boy stood there, hung his head and cried

Hung his head and cried

Poor boy stood and hung his head and cried

Said, "Father will you look on me as a child?"

Yeah

 

Well father said, "Eldest son, kill the fatted calf,

Call the family round

Kill that calf and call the family round

My son was lost but now he is found

'Cause that's the way for us to get along"

Hey 

 

It’s not exactly a well-known Stones song, but it’s a great rendition.  Actually it’s better than the original.  You can find the Wilkins’ version on the internet.  The Stones version is condensed into a sharper song structure.