Looking for the New in an Old Story

Read Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32.

This is a rich story for most people even with mild Bible literacy. It's just so utterly close to human experience. The idea of the son traveling to a far off land rings of fairy tale speak, but very quickly the story hits us close as we hear of this lost and foundness of our prodigal friend and the challenging emotions of each family member. The struggle for me as I read is to hear something surprising or fresh -- here is what struck me this week.

1) Jesus eats with sinners as a sign of reconciliation. We've been talking about that in church since Advent when we began looking at Luke's special eye toward food and forgiveness. We looked at it earlier this week in Joshua. The first Passover feast in the land marked the promise kept to the people Israel. We've been talking about it on Wednesday nights during Lent. So it is with the Prodigal Son. A banquet celebrates return and belonging. (Dennis Tucker points this out too on workingpreacher.org)

2) For the first time, I noticed the Prodigal Son never even has the chance to speak his words of regret to his father before forgiveness is granted -- before the son is able to influence the gift with his own words. I find this a relief, in part because this indicates a kind of true gift of reconciliation. It's not dependent upon the diplomacy of the son. There are no conditions. I'm also relieved because coming home out of bodily hunger is a little less desirable in my opinion, than coming home because you love and miss your family. It grates me a little to hear the son speak of the bounty of his home when he is need of food so I'm relieved he doesn't speak again before the father finds him. But maybe that's the point of being found. Maybe he didn't know just how lost he was until he arrived home.

Reflection

• There is so much to imagine in this story, so much to supply with the stories of own lives. How has this story touched you?
• In reading it again, is there something you see that is brand new?

Prayer

We thank you, Holy One, for the gift of story, the stories of the Bible, the stories of our lives, and the big story of which we are all a part: life, death, and new life through your Son, Jesus. Amen