March 21st 2004 |
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The Fourth Sunday in Lent LK 15/1-3, 11-32 |
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| Background: This poor
man lucked out with neither of his sons. He loved them both and they both were goofs. The
first was too wild, the second was too rigid and nasty. Neither one appreciated their
father’s love. Both tried to exploit him. What’s more he knew they were
exploiting him. This is not a story of a prodigal son, but of an indulgent father, indeed
of a hyper-indulgent father. Note that he runs to meet the first son and cuts off his
phony speech. Note too that he is incredibly patient with the mean-spirited and ungrateful
second son. This story is not supposed to provide a model for family life. Rather it tells
us that God loves us like the indulgent father, so much that my human standards, he’s
quit over the top. |
read the padre |
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Story: Once there
were two teenagers whose parents went away for the weekend. As some teenagers do, they
decided they would have a party. You know the rest. A couple hundred people showed up.
They drank all the family liquor, trashed the house, tore up the garden, wrecked the
family cars, burned down the garage, smashed the windows in the neighboring homes, rioted
when the police came, and even threw beer cans on the rectory lawn (Really!). When the
parents came home to find the national guard patrolling their streets, they said to their
children, “You shouldn’t have done that.” Why not, said the kids. You went
away it’s your fault, not ours. You should have never trusted us. But the parents
love their children so much that they weren’t angry at them. That’s the way God
love us.
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