On the Outside Looking In
IV Lent/18 March 2007
Joshua 5:9-12
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Luke 15:11-32
The Prodigal Son is probably the best known of all of Jesus’ parables. Even persons not familiar with the Christian scriptures generally know the story of the dissolute younger son who asks his father for his share of his inheritance, a practice in ancient Hebrew times that was the equivalent of telling his father he wanted him dead, an incredibly cruel thing to do in light of that culture’s emphasis on honor, and then squanders that inheritance in a spectacular fashion.
Afterwards, living in abject poverty and squalor, he comes to his senses and makes his way home, hoping that his father will at least allow him to live with the hired help. Of course, we know that father responds by not only welcoming his boy back with open arms, but also by throwing a big party for him to celebrate his return to the family that never forgot him or lost hope that he would come back.
In terms of our own faith journeys, most of us know what it is like to be the Prodigal Son (or Daughter), having at some point or points of our lives, wandered far away, only to feel the overwhelming embrace of God upon our return.
However, this is a tale with more than one character and just as most of us can relate to the story of the dissolute son, most of us, whether we want to admit or not, can also relate to the older brother, and we see through his story that there is more than one way to squander an inheritance.
He is the good boy, the one that has always followed the rules, without asking for anything in return and as such, has perhaps flown somewhat under the radar. We can understand his feelings, his resentment towards his father and his brother. But we also see how it now blinds him from seeing what he has had all along.
And so at the parable’s end, despite his father’s entreaties, the older brother is standing outside of the party looking in, unwilling or maybe even unable at that moment in time, to allow the love inside the party to touch him. It is maybe one of the saddest pictures painted in all of the parables.
But it is through that picture that the parable of the Prodigal Son provides a very vivid reminder that Christianity is not a spectator sport. It is not meant to be observed but lived. And as we see from the parable, there are times when the living of it is easier than others.
But it is in the living of our faith that we are made as Paul says, “the new creation.” The ones whom God no longer counts our transgressions against, but rather entrusts to us the “message of reconciliation.”
And as we move through this Lenten season, it is fitting for us to look carefully at the ways in which we are, or are not, bearers of that message of reconciliation. Or to go back to the words of the parable, how our judgments of others and our way of thinking how things “should be,” cause us to both hold back from entering the party, and welcoming others to it, even though it is a party that God invites everyone to.
In concrete terms, we are called to see each other as Christ sees us regardless of whether or not we want to, or that those to whom we are looking at, see us in the same way. Which is not to say that wrongs or injustice should be tolerated for the sake of getting along; Jesus certainly wasn’t a go-along kind of guy. But rather with God’s help, we are given a new way to approach to approach one another.
There has been much talk in the news and certainly at the Cathedral over the last couple of weeks about the meeting in Tanzania of the Primates of the Anglican Communion and their apparent ultimatum to the American Church to refrain from the election and consecration of gay or lesbian bishops, and developing formal rites for the blessing of same-sex unions, or face certain consequences, including a possible demotion of our status as a member of the Communion.
And I know from conversations I have had with some of the gay and lesbian members of the Cathedral, that much of this talk is personally painful. It is hard for them to hear that somehow they may be responsible for a rift in the Anglican Communion when all they are trying to do is to be faithful Christians and be their authentic selves—the people God created them to be.
When I was at General Convention last summer, I attended a committee hearing on resolutions that were developed in response to the Windsor Report—for those of you not familiar with the Windsor Report, it was a report commissioned by the Archbishop of Canterbury to make recommendations on ways the Anglican Communion could stay together in light of the election and consecration of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire and the development of rites of for the blessing of same-sex unions in the Canadian Diocese of New Westminster. Bishop Robinson was one of the people who testified at the hearing and one of the things he said was particularly powerful to me. In commenting on the so-called “homosexual agenda,” which has been mentioned in previous testimony, he simply said, “the homosexual agenda is Jesus.”
Apart from the content of his statement, it pointed to the fact that it is usually better to talk to people rather than about them. That rather than stand outside the party making assumptions and judgments about those inside, it is often better to come in and get to know those inside instead. And even if it turns out that once inside, people continue to disagree and frankly just don’t like each other very much, they can at least still pray together because once people pray together, by the grace of God, anything is possible. It is part of our inheritance.
And to squander that inheritance by not doing so, is a tragedy, for no one is too righteous to not pray with another, which brings us back to this particular situation.
The Dean pointed out recently that it seems like those Primates who wish to sanction the American Church, are like the older brother in the parable, looking in from the outside. But they don’t have to, for they are welcome to the party—not to take it over but to participate in the ministry of this Church, and to help us find ways to work with them in the ministry they have been given to do.
However, even as I say this, I know that we must not be guilty of the same thing—standing outside the context of their ministry making assumptions and judgments we don’t fully appreciate.
And so, while it is quite possible that the Anglican Communion will look very different a year from now, it is imperative that the doors to conversation and dialogue remain open for it is never up to us to deny anyone entrance to God’s party.
Regardless of what does happens, we have a role here at the Cathedral in shaping the present and the future. And that is to be a place where all are welcome—gay or straight; married, partnered or single; children (lots of children!), the elderly and those of us in-between; people of color; people with different physical abilities; people with different political views. To do what we can to make this a place where justice for all is honored, and to speak the truth in love, even when it is difficult and the outcome is uncertain—but do it anyway out of love for God, each other and the world we have been called to minister to as ambassadors of Christ.
And in all these things, to pray for compassion understanding and openness to those unexpected moments of revelation.
When the Jesus concludes the parable of the Prodigal Son, we really don’t know how it ends. We don’t know if the father is finally able to coax his older son to the party and we certainly don’t know the nature of the conversations he will probably have with both his sons the next day.
But we do know that the father remains ever hopeful that his family will be reunited and that he will do all he can to help make that happen. And through the precious life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we know that we are given the very same hope and assurance.
The Rev. Canon Allisyn Thomas
March 18 2007