-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30pm, 12:30pm
Which Son Was Not Living at Home?
This famous and beautiful story of the Prodigal son has always focused upon the runaway son and the merciful father, and rightly so. Few of us have committed such a hideous abandonment of our elder's love and trust. However, the figure of the older brother and his relationship to the father's love is classic and repeated in all of our lives to a certain extent. We have been so busy avoiding the behavior of the younger son that we may have missed the imitation of the older brother.
What exactly is the older brother guilty of? Not living our lives. While he "apparently" remained faithful and hardworking on his father's plantation, the older son was not really alive to his father's loving embrace, he never really lived the life of a son. Although he was giving the impression of a faithful son, his heart was hardened against his father and his brother. He never felt appreciated by his dad. He was not living on the land as if it all belonged to him. Which it did.
Aren't many of us living a life of hardened hearts. Suffering from the imperfect parenting, sibling rivalries, wounded egos, disappointed dreams. We are just living lives of quiet desperation with no real meaning or blessing in our lives.
Let's wake up. Let's recognize that our lives are not about us. Let's receive the gift of life as from the merciful Father's hand. Then we can really live life as IT is rather than as WE are. Who in your family is really not living at home (although they are occupying the property)?
5 comments:
This reminds me of Mary and Martha. We get caught up in what we think we need to do and in doing so miss the moment and then are jealous. Your words about this gospel suggest that in everything there should be balance.
life can't kill the dream; I dream.
Last paragraph really struck me, couldn't figure out why, have been sitting & reading it over & over. Our lives are not our own. Our lives are not our own. I've heard it so many times, a cliche, until I don't hear or understand it, like a speck on my glasses that I see past, completely ignore. OH MY!!! Our lives are not ours!!! Our lives are gift & blessing to be used, given away! Like the fruit tree that bears fruit & ALL its fruit is given away! Like the Father loving the wayward son, like the Father loving the son at home. Wow, I get it!!!
Then we can really live life as IT is rather than as WE are. I get it!!! Can't wait to hear more!
"Let's wake up. Let's recognize that our lives are not about us. Let's receive the gift of life as from the merciful Father's hand. Then we can really live life as IT is rather than as WE are."
We are not to be a hardened sad heart, God is about love and wants us to love one another. Our merciful God is about compassion and giving us blessings in our life. If we pretend that we don't see the signs of what God is giving us because we are denying that God would give to us to be loved than we are living an untruth. Wake up! People are put in our lives for a reason-our family, friends,companions,romantic loves. To love to be loved, if we deny God's blessings than we become hardened like the son who stayed home. He did what he thought he had to do rather than seeing what he should have done . We are called to love and to be loved, that is a blessing from God. You deny love the outcome is a hardened sad heart and not living according to the blessings given.
The father was able to see his younger son, even from a long way off, because he was open to the possibility of him returning. I think that my ability to "see" is also sometimes clouded, like the older son's. Perhaps the antidote is developing a deeper sense of compassion - for, it is that which moved the old man to run to meet his younger son. I am also hearing compassion as being the reason the father seems to respond with wisdom and patience to the complaints of his bitter older son. It can keep us from a hardening of heart and open our eyes and hearts to the sores that need healing in the world outside of our own small selves.
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