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This week I am going on retreat – not to some far distant, scenic wonderland to commune with nature, but to the LA Archdiocesan House of Prayer for Priests, located pretty much in the heart of the city, above the Golden State Freeway between Hollywood and Glendale. Yes it is a tiny island of peace carved out of a bustling city neighborhood. It is a place where a busy priest can get more deeply in touch with God, his spiritual director, and other priests, and at the same time not be remote, either physically or psychologically, from the people we are called and committed to serve. I mention this for two reasons. One is to ask your prayers for me and the other priests from other parishes who will be on retreat at the same time. Our spirituality is inseparably tied up with your spirituality. As a priest I can only grow closer to God for you and with you. Please pray for us. The second reason I bring up my retreat is that in reflecting and praying over the wonderful parable of the wayward son, the righteous elder brother, and the totally irresponsible father that we just heard, I recalled a retreat director some years ago pointing out that many of the stories of Jesus, and this one in particular, serve as kind of a mirror. Especially if we don’t see God in our lives, perhaps if we hold up a mirror to look at ourselves, we see him where he has always been – standing behind us, not only supporting and sustaining us, but perhaps pointing out something we hadn’t noticed before, or nudging us to move in a new direction. When I think about and pray about this story, the first thought that comes to mind is the old saying, “Like father, like son.” Which son is like the father – and which son am I like? Often I like to think I imitate the fidelity and loyalty of the elder brother, but then I notice that I am also captivated by his pride and arrogance. I’m too easily tempted to judge others by my own standards, and even decide that they are not worthy of my love. The younger son was a real sinner. He was the kid who followed his self-centered and thoughtless impulses and got himself in a heap of trouble that he couldn’t get out of. Some of us click our tongues at kids (or adults) like that. The elder brother stayed a loyal and obedient family member, hard working and contributing to the prosperity of the household. Yet, I can’t help but think it was the younger son who was really more like his father. We call this story the “parable of the prodigal son.” Among the synonyms for the adjective “prodigal,” according to Microsoft Word’s handy thesaurus, are “wasteful,” “reckless,” “extravagant,” and “uncontrolled.” The opposite is “cautious” or “frugal.” Certainly in lavishing a love feast on the younger brother so extravagant that it made the cautious and frugal elder brother both jealous and furious, the father was being prodigal in his expressions of joy and love. Could perhaps Jesus be standing behind us as we read this story, showing us how much he has loved us and continues to love us – how prodigal his love is for us? Certainly if you have seen the movie, “The Passion of the Christ,” the extravagant cost of this love is so evident. Is Jesus perhaps pointing out those who need to see signs of his love around us? Is he perhaps, nudging us to find a way to forgive that person who locked himself or herself out of our life, and who, as far as we are concerned, no longer exists? Perhaps we can’t throw a party; perhaps we can’t restore the relationship to what it was, but we can at least pray for them. Is Jesus perhaps opening our eyes to the despair of those locked in poverty, even on our own doorstep? We may not be able to relieve all their needs or solve all their problems, but we can at least not pretend we don’t see them, and resist the temptation to judge them. We don’t know how the story ends. I think Jesus deliberately left it up to us to finish. The father welcomed back the younger son, but seems unsuccessful at softening his older son’s heart so that he would even come back into the house. Maybe, just maybe, overwhelmed by the father’s love, and in his still impetuous enthusiasm now matured by gratitude and humility, maybe the younger brother ultimately succeeded in reconciling with his older brother, and drawing him back into family unity, peace, and even joy. And, can this continue to happen in your life and in mine? © Thomas Welbers 2004 Here are some useful links, which provide material for the study of these liturgical readings, and reflections on their message: Girardian Reflections on the Lectionary The Center for Liturgy at St. Louis University Lectionary Resource for Catholics © Thomas Welbers 2004
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