Reading Francis

A couple quick things about the readings chosen by the Church for the 4th Sunday of Lent (which was today). 

The Gospel is the parable of the Prodigal Son from Luke 15, one of the most famous stories Jesus tells. It’s worth noting (I think I heard Luke Johnson say this) that the context for this story about the younger son who wastes his inheritance, the father who welcomes him home, and the older son who chooses bitterness over forgiveness, is that the religious leaders of the time were grousing about the fact that Jesus was attracting undesirables with his preaching. So while it can seem like the older brother’s tantrum at the younger brother’s homecoming is kind of an add-on, it may actually be the point of the story, and a good lesson for us to reflect on who we would rather God not welcome back, should they choose to return home.

I also think it’s interesting that it’s paired with an Old Testament reading from Joshua that seems connected primarily by the importance of food and feasting (which, who am I to argue?).

But the kicker for me is the middle reading, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, because the theme that runs through it is God’s ministry of reconciliation, and God’s call to us to join in that ministry of reconciling the world to God and each other.

That passage makes it easy to see how the Prodigal Son is at one level about God’s desire to reconcile. He doesn’t just go out to the property line to welcome home; he also goes out on the porch to try to talk the older son into joining the party.

We live in a time where it’s hard to see how we can possibly reconcile the different factions in our church and our world. But such is God’s desire, and such is our calling.