IT'S TIME TO GO HOME

IT’S TIME TO GO HOME

Homily for the 4^th Sunday of Lent, Year C

By

Fr. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara CSsR

Holy Names Catholic Church

Memphis, TN

What is really the difference between a new, crisp $20 bill and an old, soiled and rumpled $20 bill? A priest once showed his congregation a new $20 bill and asked who wants it. As expected, all hands went up. Then he rumpled the same crisp $20 bill and asked who wants it. Again, all hands went up. Lastly he threw it on the floor of the church, marched on it repeatedly and then asked who still wants the money, still all hands went up. He then explained that in our eyes, the difference between a new $20 bill and a rumpled one is the difference between a good person and a bad person in the sight of God. Both are equally acceptable. Both are wanted. Both are equal before God because Romans 3: 23 says “All have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.” Like a sheep, we have all gone astray!

Dearest beloved, today’s gospel taken from Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32 is the story of a man and his two sons. It is a story of a family. The younger son wanted some autonomy; he wanted his share of his father’s estate. He got what he wanted, and with all he got, he set off to a distant country. Out there without the protection and the guidance of his father, he squandered his inheritance on a life of debauchery. He wasted all he got and found himself in dire need. He became homeless because he could not afford to hire a house or lodge in a hotel. He was equally starving. Because necessity is the mother of invention, he remembered he could work and earn a living. Though it was not explicitly written in this story, but it is clear that this younger son did not have any skill. It seems he was not educated; he lacked the technical skill or managerial skill to get a decent employment. Hence “he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.”

This is really a turn of events for the young man. The once flamboyant young man is now working in a farm of feeding pigs. The once show-starter and showstopper is now living with pigs. The once popular guy in many parties is now broke. But what could a Jewish prince be doing with pigs? That he could condescend to feeding pigs, a particular animal that Jewish people consider as unclean animals demonstrates the depth of squalor and poverty in which he finds himself. He surely would be saying to himself “What have I done to myself?” It was his reckless lifestyle that drains his fortune, and reduced him to abject poverty and misery. To cap it all, he became a very lonely man. All his “friends” and fellow clubbers have deserted him.

In his destitution and suffering, he came to his senses and decided to return home to his father. But he was not expecting his father to treat him again as his son. So he made up his mind that he would ask to become one of his servants. Surely living as a servant in his father’s house was far better than his present condition. He was not expecting his father to forgive him and treat him as a son. He has a distorted understanding of his father’s forgiveness and mercy. We too can have a distorted notion of God’s forgiveness. The book of Genesis 1: 29 says that “God created us in his image and likeness”, and ever since then, we have been making God in our image and likeness.

One good thing about the prodigal son is that he was not too proud to go back home and say, “I am a sinful youngster; I have sinned; I am so sorry father.” And that was exactly what he did. When he was on the way back home his father was outside waiting for him. The father did not wait for him to come close; he did not turn away; he did not yell at him and tell him how miserable and despicable he is; even in his advanced age, the father ran to him, puts his arms around him and kissed him. That is what God is, always longing and waiting for us to return home. Home is where we belong! The father must have shed tears for two reasons: one, tears of joy that his lost son is back; two, tears of sorrow and pity at what his son has become. You don’t expect a man who fed pigs and lived with pigs to look healthy, neat and handsome. He must have gone out of humanity!

In reality, this parable is misnamed. It really shouldn’t be called the Parable of the Prodigal Son, for the son is not at its center, the father is. It should have been called “The Parable of the Prodigal Father”. Webster’s dictionary defines the word prodigal as “exceedingly or recklessly wasteful,” or “extremely generous; lavish.” If anyone is prodigal in this story, it is the father! He never gives up on his son or daughter, loves him or her no matter what the son or daughter might do, or regardless of how disrespectfully he is treated. His son is his son; his daughter is his daughter, and nothing can ever change that. He is the prodigal father!

Before his long journey to his father, he has made up his mind to say three things to his father:

One, “I have sinned against heaven and against you.”

Two, “I no longer deserve to be called your son.”

Three, “Treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”

While saying those words, his father was thinking of the big party in honor of his son. He was not paying attention to the son’s speech of repentance; he 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.”

The father ordered the finest robe to be put on his son; this shows that the clothes his son had on him were worn out and dirty. His son was almost naked due to tear and wear of his clothes as a result of long use. The father ordered a ring to be put on his finger. This is a sign of restoration. When the younger son left his family, he lost his princeship; he lost his sonship. The putting of the ring on his finger is the restoration of his position as a son and as a prince. The father ordered a sandal to be put on his feet. This shows that either his son had an old and worn out sandals or he walked home bare-footedly. This act too shows that his son is not going to be a slave, but a son and a prince. Remember that the son had asked to be treated as one of the father’s slaves. By putting a sandal on his feet, his father was speaking boldly, “My son cannot be a slave in his father’s house.” It is only slaves that walk about bare-footedly. The father ordered the fattened calf to be slaughtered. This shows the haggardness, the weary, and the hunger of his son. The hunger in a foreign land and the long walk to home all must have emptied him completely. When he eats of the fattened calf, he will regain his energy and strength. Hunger, deprivation and austerity were written all over him. The father therefore called for the slaughtering of the largest calf to feed his son fat again. The father called for a celebration. This is to celebrate with his neighbors, and also to show them that his lost son is back. The celebration is not only a celebration of a returned son; it is a celebration of the father’s immense love, mercy and forgiveness. The father wants to show others how to forgive.

At this point, the story shows that the elder son too has a distorted understanding of forgiveness. He did not forgive his younger brother’s misdeeds. Instead of joining in the celebration of his return, he was upset that their father welcomed him home. In anger, he refused to join the party. The elder son was looking at his younger brother as the sinner: “He is the sinner”. But he failed to understand that his behavior in all of this is also bad and sinful. So, like his younger brother, he too has sinned for becoming an obstacle in the realization of family unity and harmony.

We all are sinners. Whether your sins are more visible like those of prodigal son or more hidden like those of the elder son who remained at home, the simple message today is that “It’s time to go home.” The younger son needs to leave irresponsibility, wasteful lifestyle, over-drinking, clubbing and womanizing behind and return home- because “It’s time to go home.” The elder son needs to leave anger, jealousy, pride and resentment behind and return home- because “It’s time to go home”. The thief needs to leave stealing behind and return home- because “It’s time to go home.” The materialistic conscious person needs to leave over-reliance on the things of this world and return home- because, “It’s time to go home.” The wasteful and over-indulgent Christian needs to leave frivolity behind and return home- because- “It’s time to go home.” The unloving Christian needs to leave bitterness behind and return home to his or her father- because, “It’s time to go home.” That angry and ever-condemning person needs to leave harsh judgment behind and return home- because “It’s time to go home.” The one who feels abandoned needs to stand up now and return home- because “It’s time to go home.” If you are in enmity with someone, you need to leave that unforgiving spirit behind and return home- because “It’s time to go home.” No matter what your offense may be, just like the prodigal son, you need to return home now- because “It’s time to go home.”

Return home now! Jesus is waiting to receive and welcome you home. No sin or offense is too much for him to forgive. Jesus forgives all sins. No sin is too much! Return home now because “It’s time to go home.”