When we hear the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15.11-32, we hear about a man who decided to return to his father after wasting his inheritance. Rather than interrogate his son, the loving Father opened His arms, kissed him and welcomed him home with a huge celebration. That is what awaits us when we return to God. God is waiting for us without guilt, without interrogation, without fear.
My brothers and sisters, in this morning’s gospel, we hear a very clear message of the love of God and the forgiveness of God. It doesn’t matter what life we have lived in the past. Every one of us has made poor decisions at one time or another. Some of us, many, many poor decisions. Some of us have lived in a strange life, estranged from our family, estranged from the church, estranged from God. But this morning’s gospel gives us hope because in this morning’s gospel, we see exactly what happens when in our heart we return to God. The story of the prodigal son, and I always have to remind people, the word prodigal does not mean returning.
The word prodigal means the nasty life that he lived. Prodigal living was not good living. And the gospel talks about how he wasted everything and harlots and this and that. The prodigal living is absolutely ugly living. And this is how he spent everything his father gave to him. Until one day, the gospel says he came to himself. He realized what condition he had placed himself in. And realizing that even the servants at his father’s house had a better life. He says, “I’m going to go back to my father, but I’m not going to go as his son. I’m going to tell my father, Father, forgive me. I have sinned against God and before you. I’m not even worthy to be called your son. Just make me one of your servants.” This was in his idea to go back to his father.
The image here, my brothers and sisters is a strong one because it says that when he returned to turn back to his father, while he was still far away, his father saw him coming. That means my brothers and sisters, he was waiting for him. Every day he stood on the front porch, I like to imagine staring into the distance, “When is my son going to return?” And the minute he saw his son, he ran to him, hugged him, kissed him, and never once interrogated him. Never once did the Father say, “Explain yourself to me. What have you been doing? How have you wasted my money? Where have you been?” Instead, he hugged him and loved him.
And he threw a big party for him. He restored him to where he was the day he left as one of his children. This is how much God loves us. It’s not that he doesn’t care what we’ve done. God cares a lot about what we’ve done, but he was waiting for us to return. He’s waiting for us to realize that the life we’re living is lousy. Forgive me. But that’s the life we live. We live a life totally engrossed in ourselves, wasting our time, wasting our resources, wasting the love that God has given us. But the moment we turn back to him, he’s going to run and embrace us.
That is God’s love and his forgiveness. And there is no guilt in returning to God. There is no interrogation. There is only love and forgiveness. And so my brothers and sisters, as we are preparing these weeks to enter great lent, listen to the wisdom of the gospel, the love of God, the guidance of the church. Leave the ugly life behind and return to God in everything that we do. Don’t be the ugly brother who sits in judgment, that son of yours. When we see our brothers and sisters return, don’t judge them. Welcome them home. And when we choose to return to God, I beg you, do not be afraid of judgment. God is love. And he’s waiting to welcome us home. Glory to God for all things.
