March 30, 2025: Fourth Sunday of Lent

Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them Jesus addressed this parable: “A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country, where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.

“When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend to the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.'”

“So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began.

“Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

“He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'”

Reflection

Jesus welcomes and eats with “sinners,” oh my! As I understand it, the Pharisees and scribes were pointing out that Jesus defied religious law and societal norms. This religious society was concerned about the purity of Jews and placed the burden of priestly rituals and codes of conduct on every Jew.

They valued obedience to the oral traditions and conformity. Perhaps from their perspective, welcoming and eating with “sinners” was not acceptable and made Jesus “unpure.”

Jesus addresses them with a parable highlighting reconnection and compassion. He offers his listeners a vision of what happens when someone acts from love. This alternative value system — based on Jesus’ experience of an unconditionally loving God is in stark contrast to the religious leaders.

I hear Jesus saying, “What if it is not about following all the laws and rules — spoken and unspoken — to fit in, be pleasing to God, or be superior? What if it is really about love and compassion? Don’t be the resentful, obedient, exclusive son; be the longing and unconditionally loving parent who rejoices in the reunification.

I wonder how the tax collectors and sinners gathering around Jesus felt when the religious leaders started protesting. Their judgmental statement must have stung with shame. I imagine that Jesus’ parable brought them hope and dignity. Hope in forgiveness, inclusion, understanding and love. Jesus was clear, people, love, and inclusion over laws, conformity and exclusion.

Action

How have your values been rearranged this Lent? How might our rigid standards be harmful and exclusive? Which values do you want to re-prioritize?