The Constant Good Father

The Sunday of the Prodigal Son.

"O loving Father, I have departed far from Thee,

but forsake me not,
neither reject me from Thy Kingdom.
The evil enemy has stripped me and taken all my wealth;
I have wasted like the Prodigal the grace given to my soul.

But now I have arisen and returned,
and to Thee I cry aloud;
Make me as one of Thy hired servants.
For my sake on the Cross
Thou hast stretched out Thy sinless hands,
to snatch me from the evil beast and
to clothe me once again in my first rainment,
for Thou alone art full of mercy."

- From "The Lenten Triodion" translated by Mother Mary, and Kallistos Ware, p. 122

This past Sunday was the second of three Pre-Lenten Sundays that precede the season of Great Lent.

During the Divine Liturgy the parable traditionally called "The Prodigal Son" (St. Luke 15:11-32) is read.


Although this story is one of the most well-known Parables of Jesus - it often seems to be misunderstood, or under-appreciated for what it reveals to us about the nature of God and His Kingdom. For me, this parable focuses on repentance, redemption, and restoration on many levels.

For example, on one level, particularly pertinent in this day and age, - the Father in the story represents a very loving, patient, kind and generous parent. Now some people may not have grown up with this kind of father, but I believe that even someone whose father was cruel and/or absent knows in their heart what a good father should be like - and this character is the epitome of such a good father. Traditionally, the Father in this story is understood as the personification of God, the Father.

THE FATHER - REDEMPTION OF FATHERHOOD

There is a growing practice within many so-called "Liberal" churches to get away from the Paternal language that is used to describe God - i.e. to drop the "Our Father" and replace it with "Our Parent." The justification for this being apparent "sensitivity" for those who have been raised by dominant, abusive and oppressive fathers, who have bad memories and associations with their physical fathers. Although I think this practice is well-intentioned, the result potentially incriminates fatherhood, rather than to redeem it. Holding up the image of the perfect father that Jesus speaks about - can go a long way to restoring the tarnished image of the role of fatherhood.

THE SON - REPENTANCE, REDEMPTION, AND RESTORATION OF HUMANITY

However, for me, this Pre-Lenten reading of the Parable, with a decidedly Eastern Orthodox interpretation, opened my eyes to something that I had misunderstood for many years as an Evangelical Christian - (by the way, this was one of the views that I had held that ultimately drove me away from Evangelicalism.)

As an Evangelical I was often confused by the teaching that "Jesus died for us as payment for our sins - He died in our place." Said another way, "Jesus took the punishment from God that was intended for us." Adding fuel to this view of the justice of God were various illustrations that are used to illustrate how God "killed His son for us."

Perhaps the most infamous, or perhaps, nefarious of these "illustrations," is a dramatic performance that I watched in absolute shock a few years ago - called "Heaven's Gate, Hell's Fire" - it has amongst its various scenarios about the "judgement of God" on non-believers, a portrayal of children being wrenched from their parents by demons. Meanwhile angels look on in judgement and proclaim that this is what will happen if the parents don't "witness" to their children about "inviting Jesus into their hearts." This apparently MUST be done so that their names can be entered into the literal "Lamb's Book of Life," which is depicted as a kind of "doomsday" book where ONLY listed believers will be admitted into heaven, while those listed as "unbelievers" are sent to burn in hell for eternity.

Many churches endorse this play - claiming that many are "saved" by its message.

Lord have mercy!!!

CONSEQUENCE OF, NOT PUNISHMENT FOR....

In Orthodoxy, Jesus' life, death on the cross, and resurrection is to conquer eternal death and restore humanity's divine nature.

Eternal or Spiritual death is a CONSEQUENCE of sin, not the punishment from God for it.

Jesus accepts the consequences of our sin on our behalf, so that we may put on the likeness of God by revealing the image that God has placed on all humanity.

When the Eastern Orthodox Church reads the Parable of the Prodigal Son, they see in it a complete illustration of the Gospel.

I'll summarize it this way:

1. God, as Father, lives with His children in a loving relationship.
2. Fallen man, (the young son), decides to break away from the Father, to make his own way.
3. Although away from the Father, the Father patiently waits for the return of the son.
4. The son experiences the deep loneliness, isolation and desolation of living apart from the joy of life, and love, that he had in his Father's house.
5. The son comes to himself, by changing his mind (repentance), and decides to come back to the Father as a lowly servant - not feeling worthy to be restored as a son (of the same family.)
6. The Father, seeing his son from a long way off (He was waiting in anticipation) runs to His son and not only forgives him, but restores him to his full stature of son and heir.
7. The jealous brother (representing those who considered themselves "already in the family") resents the compassion of his father.
8. But the Father yet again, shows compassion to the jealous son and urges him to rejoice with Him.

THE UNCHANGING COMPASSIONATE FATHER

What I notice about the story is that the Father never changes His attitude toward either of His sons - He never condemns them for what they do - even when the young son, by asking for his share of the Father's inheritance is in reality wishing for the Father's death!!

In Orthodoxy, the Father is not the one who changes His mind toward the sons - it is the Prodigal who has to choose to change his own mind - there is no coercion from the Father. His love for His chldren is constant.

It seems to be often taught in Evangelical circles that Jesus death on the cross fulfills God's demands for justice and therefore changes His mind toward us. As you can see, in Orthodox understanding - it is we who change - not God. Jesus reveals this through the teaching of this wonderful parable.

"Thou hast stretched out Thy sinless hands,
to snatch me from the evil beast and
to clothe me once again in my first rainment,
for Thou alone art full of mercy."