Meditations on Luke 15

 Lectionary text for Sunday, March 27: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

This is the well known Parable of the Prodigal Son. Reading it today, the line that stood out for me was from verse 20: "his father saw him and was filled with compassion."

Later we read that the older son was upset when the younger son received special treatment upon his return. The father tells 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." 

The father didn't love one son more than the other. Both sons were provided for. I can understand the older son--he did everything right, but he didn't get a party, in fact, no one bothered to tell him that there was even a party going on! The older son was dutiful, and he benefited from his father's wealth. The younger son took a different path, but when he finally recognized his need, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. Perhaps it is whenever we sense or acknowledge our own need that God comes to us like a parent to a child.

The collage below didn't quite turn out how I wanted it to (I need to stock up on images of flowers), but what it does show is an image of a grave--this brother of yours was dead--in a wasteland, but it's sprung up with calla lilies--and he has come to life. Bring out a robe for my son, the father says, the best one.