Great Disregard

I suppose there might be people who look back over their childhood and find no personal examples of disrespecting their parents. It seems unlikely though. A baby might surmise that mom or dad, or both can do no wrong; parents at this stage are the all-knowing and generous ones. Then the child learns one of those key first words of vocabulary, “no,” and so the parent must be scrutinized. At some point, the phrase, “That’s not fair” comes into use, and parents seem to know less and less: “They just don’t understand.” Such is the evolution of a child pushing away.

It is possible, much later, that an adult will look back and see the flaws of the parent and the flaws of the child and conclude, such are the pains of being human. In his life of teaching, Jesus presents a provocative limited drama series. We find it not on Netflix but in the 15th chapter of The Gospel according to Luke; it appears in the genre of parables. The first season is about a lost sheep, the second, is a lost coin. The third and most gripping season is called The Lost Son. This third has been called many things, such as “The Prodigal Son” and “The Two Sons.” Producers sometimes can decide on a title. I am intrigued by the title, “The Prodigal Father,” because the character of the Father is so extravagantly lavish and prodigal with his mercy and forgiveness.

We have heard from our own pulpit, from our rector, that, within the context of first-century middle eastern thought and customs, the most shocking behavior in the drama is not the sons’ behaviors but the father’s. Who lets a son run off like that with half the inheritance, as though the father is already dead? Such disregard! Crazier, who lets such a son return to an embrace and celebration? That is what the older son was thinking too. But speaking of that, what father begs the protesting disgruntled son to come over to the side of celebration, declaring, “We are one; you are always with me, all that I have is yours”? These are shocking parental responses to sons who have shown greedy, selfish disregard, and resentful, angry disregard. Sit for a moment with the following set of responses from the father.

First is his reaction to the younger son: “But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. … ‘This son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’” (Luke 15:20, 24) Then we see this reaction to the older son: “Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours’” (Luke 15:31)

The man’s sons both expect the younger one, who ran off and squandered half the family’s net worth, to catch hell. They both expect he will be punished and sent packing or treated not as a son but as a hired servant. They agree on the cultural norm. It is the father’s behavior that is outrageous. Whereas the sons disregard the respect which they owe the father, he disregards deep cultural mores. In response to their disrespect, the father breaks out in an exuberant celebration of the love, mercy, and forgiveness of his sons. 

One of the things we contemplate in the season of Lent is how little we deserve, but how lavishly we are afforded God’s forgiveness. God, disregarding propriety, is extravagantly prodigal with love. The hymn declares it: the Lord of bliss did lay aside his crown for your soul. “What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!”