As preached by Brother Luke
Holy Wisdom Church
Maybe some, or many, of you have had the experience of writing something, a letter, an article, journaling, a speech, a work or school assignment, and after finishing the text, you put it aside and return to it later. And while re-reading it you think to yourself, did I write that? Maybe by questioning where the words came from we might realize that inspiration might very well come from a source beyond ourselves. It may be prompted by outside circumstances, something we read, a book or an article, that sparked the creative impulse; or an insight in prayer; or something we heard someone say; or a film or a play we saw; or a podcast we heard. But what prompts the inspiration is not the inspiration itself.
In today’s gospel we notice that the evangelist comments on Caiaphas' prophecy about Jesus. That it is better for one to die in order to save the nation. John notes that as High Priest, Caiaphas is speaking a prophetic message that was not from himself but from God. And even more, he was speaking about salvation for all, most likely without even knowing it. The events prompting his remarks are those surrounding the teaching and miracles of Jesus and the people's response to them.
Jesus fulfills this mission by freely and willingly accepting death to bring everlasting life to all. The enormity of this sacrifice is commented on by St Paul elsewhere when he says few would be willing to die for someone else, but someone just might be willing to do so for a really good person. Jesus Christ makes no distinction. He is willing to die for all: good and bad alike. For all are God's people.
This is baseball season. Sacrifices are built into the game. A sacrifice bunt or a sacrifice fly are examples. One player sacrifices himself and is out so that another might be able to score. Should he score, the sacrifice benefits the whole team. If we are serious about seeing Jesus as our model for a life lived according to God's plan for us, then we need to understand what his ultimate sacrifice means not only for each of us individually but also for all creation. It is a grace for which we are forever grateful.
Nevertheless, we should not presume from this that we are expected to find a reason to die for the sake of the kingdom. However, both scripture and the writings of the early church fathers advise us that we are to die to ourselves. What did Jesus say? You have to lose your life to gain it! Jesus lost his life in order to gain it for all of us. None of us are in a position to do that. But daily we can die to ourselves in much smaller, but still significant ways. And it usually means putting aside what I want in order to let someone else's idea have a chance to grow. It's being willing to cheerfully let go of my cherished projects rather than think that they are essential for the wellbeing of others. It's being willing to sacrifice my time when doing so may offer a lifeline to someone in desperate need.
Today we remember the the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council who set forth the creed that we still profess today. It was a challenging time and one can only imagine how many participants had to struggle with themselves to come to terms with the final language. Sacrifices both large and small. We also remember today the 6th century saint, Germain of Paris, who struggled, often fruitlessly, to bring peace between rival political factions in Gaul. He also composed a Gallican liturgy used in France up to the time of Charlemagne and revived in the 20th century for use in France and accepted by the Orthodox Church. Sacrificial efforts centuries apart but bearing fruit to this day. All reminding us that our daily challenges and sacrifices are part of the constantly unfolding fabric of our spiritual journey with Christ, a journey we make with all other believers.
Glory be to Jesus Christ!
Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Saturday, May 13, 2023
Sermon 187 May 7, 2023 Jn 5:1-15, 1Pt 3:13-22, Ac 8:26-40 Paralytic - Waiting
As preached by Brother Luke
Holy Wisdom Church
Christ is Risen!
How long are you willing to wait for your computer to open and be ready to use? How long are you willing to sit in a doctor's office waiting for your scheduled appointment to take place? How long are you willing to wait in line in a grocery store to check out? How long are you willing to wait on hold on your telephone for the next available customer service representative to help you? How long are you willing to wait to be seated in a restaurant? How long are you willing to wait for God to answer your prayers?
We want results and we want them fast. We want everything done immediately, sooner if possible. No waiting. Our patience wears thin pretty quickly. Today's gospel lesson is clearly about Jesus healing an invalid, but it is also about waiting patiently. It's about never giving up. It's not about instant gratification. It's not about getting my way immediately or I'm out of here. It's about something our modern society does not value. Waiting. That doesn't mean waiting has been eradicated from our society. Far from it, as noted above. What we want and what we get does not always coincide. And that's God's plan and we don't like it! What's that old adage? "Man proposes and God disposes." A lesson we can learn frequently if we are paying attention.
Great athletes are not created overnight, they have to spend many long years in preparation. And then only a few make it to the top. Star musicians must do the same. Of course there are child prodigies. People touched by God at an early age. But for most of us, in whatever given endeavor, we most likely have to work and prepare before reaching our goal. It takes patience and perseverance. Are we at peace with that?
The paralytic at the pool of Bethsaida waited 38 years before his prayer was answered. The woman with the issue of blood waited 12 years before her prayer was answered. But waiting and patience have nothing to do with idleness. Notice our paralytic. He is constantly trying to get to the pool, but is unable to get any help and so others always get there first. Does he give up? No! Each time the water in the pool is stirred he attempts to make his move. But the crowds of ill people - the blind, the lame, the withered - lying in the five porches surrounding the pool are also stirred up and one can only imagine the jostling and shoving that takes place while they strain to get to the pool in time.
Jesus quietly enters this scene and heals a man who has no idea who Jesus is. Healing can come to anyone. God's desire is for us to be healed. Jesus asks the man do you want to be healed? His 38 years of trying and never giving up is his answer. So, Jesus tells him to take up his mat and walk, and he does. And what might we take away from this lesson? Tempering our impatience may be the first step in our healing.
Christ is risen!
Holy Wisdom Church
Christ is Risen!
How long are you willing to wait for your computer to open and be ready to use? How long are you willing to sit in a doctor's office waiting for your scheduled appointment to take place? How long are you willing to wait in line in a grocery store to check out? How long are you willing to wait on hold on your telephone for the next available customer service representative to help you? How long are you willing to wait to be seated in a restaurant? How long are you willing to wait for God to answer your prayers?
We want results and we want them fast. We want everything done immediately, sooner if possible. No waiting. Our patience wears thin pretty quickly. Today's gospel lesson is clearly about Jesus healing an invalid, but it is also about waiting patiently. It's about never giving up. It's not about instant gratification. It's not about getting my way immediately or I'm out of here. It's about something our modern society does not value. Waiting. That doesn't mean waiting has been eradicated from our society. Far from it, as noted above. What we want and what we get does not always coincide. And that's God's plan and we don't like it! What's that old adage? "Man proposes and God disposes." A lesson we can learn frequently if we are paying attention.
Great athletes are not created overnight, they have to spend many long years in preparation. And then only a few make it to the top. Star musicians must do the same. Of course there are child prodigies. People touched by God at an early age. But for most of us, in whatever given endeavor, we most likely have to work and prepare before reaching our goal. It takes patience and perseverance. Are we at peace with that?
The paralytic at the pool of Bethsaida waited 38 years before his prayer was answered. The woman with the issue of blood waited 12 years before her prayer was answered. But waiting and patience have nothing to do with idleness. Notice our paralytic. He is constantly trying to get to the pool, but is unable to get any help and so others always get there first. Does he give up? No! Each time the water in the pool is stirred he attempts to make his move. But the crowds of ill people - the blind, the lame, the withered - lying in the five porches surrounding the pool are also stirred up and one can only imagine the jostling and shoving that takes place while they strain to get to the pool in time.
Jesus quietly enters this scene and heals a man who has no idea who Jesus is. Healing can come to anyone. God's desire is for us to be healed. Jesus asks the man do you want to be healed? His 38 years of trying and never giving up is his answer. So, Jesus tells him to take up his mat and walk, and he does. And what might we take away from this lesson? Tempering our impatience may be the first step in our healing.
Christ is risen!
Friday, May 5, 2023
Homily Easter 2023
By
Sr. Rebecca
Holy Wisdom Church
We
heard this morning from John’s Gospel “the Light shines in the darkness.”
What light? John is pointing to this Light of Christ, the same
that emanates and radiates from the very beginning of God's creation: In
the book of Genesis, chapter 1, we hear of the Spirit hovering over the
deep dark abyss, and God said: “Let there be Light.” This is not the light of
the sun but rather the mysterious Divine Light imbuing all of creation.
John is referring to this Light in introducing his Gospel: Jesus
is the very Word of God incarnate. He is the Light of Life. In him
and through him God dwells—or, more literally, the text says that in Him God
has pitched his tent in our midst. And continues to do so right up to this very
moment.
But the very goodness of God
manifested in Jesus aroused hatred from those refusing the light, and he was
put to death. We know the story and how this unexpected event threw his
disciples into a deep dark abyss of despair, sadness, and dashed hope for a
Savior of their world. The disciples
spiraled down their dark inner confusion to the point of being terrified of
being associated with Jesus. So they
enclosed themselves behind locked doors, insulating themselves, huddling
together in their misery.
What is going on within them? Figuratively, they have entombed themselves
in a death-dealing Shame. Shame, of
which the other side is Fear, leading to
a sort of recoiling within, a hiding out in the dark inside myself. Fear of what:
reprisal, rejection, and eventually death? Their shame-stricken minds hearken
back to Adam and Eve hiding themselves out of fear and shame. But closed
doors did not prevent the Risen Jesus from passing through into their midst and
offering Peace to them. Nothing they did brought about this sudden
visitation It is sheer grace, the goodness of God that brought them to new life.
Teilhard de Chardin said that this extraordinary
energy of the Risen Lord has changed the very atoms of creation—that it not
only transformed lives but also transformed the entire creation. God did
not just create in the beginning and then somehow bow out of sight but has been
creating, renewing life right up to our day.
This reminds me of an event that may
well illustrate this same Spirit creating new life in a person’s life: Some
time ago, before Holy Week, I received a voice message on my phone. It came
from a woman I will call Joan, saying:
“I am calling to get some advice as
to what I should do. My family hates me. I am an alcoholic. Last
night I heard this voice: it whispered inside me: ‘You can have another chance.
Everything is OK. The past is forgotten.’ The feeling was
wonderful. I am calling because I do not know how to make the best of it.”
Those in AA can vouch for similar experiences that
changed their lives forever. This voice from within Joan has invited her to new
life—to rise from a dead-end prison of dark bondage and also from misery, not
only to herself but also to her family and friends. In calling for help she
is doing her part—stepping out to ask for advice so she can act according to
the Life offered her. The seed has been planted. She needs now the
good soil for it to germinate.
I
recently came across another person’s experience of this new light from within:
“My practice now is to let my heart break for what I was.” He finally let go of trying to control his
life. Leonard Cohen expressed it like this: “There is a crack in everything and
that’s how the light gets in.”
The psalmist says, “Deep calls
unto deep.” The deep dark abyss
continues in our day; we hear about it every day in the news. Killings and
wounding of innocent people….many horrors flood the news. The Risen Lord
assures us that the experience of this deep dark abyss calls forth again the
Creative Spirit of God, who has been hovering over this chaos from the very
beginning of not only our earth but the entire universe and bringing forth New Life.
Later today we will return to our
24/7 daily lives with our concerns, our work, and our relationships. May
we hold in mind and heart Jesus’ word: “Abide in me.” When we give heed to this presence, this
kairos time, we allow the Light to pierce through everything we are and do...in
every NOW moment. Some part of us, though, is yet to be redeemed to see
the Light. We need the shocks of our difficulties, challenges, sometimes a
mini or maxi crisis, to wake up to this innermost reality of God's creative
life in our midst calling us to cooperate in God’s re-creating. At times
we find ourselves wrestling with our problems, with our thoughts and feelings,
and we feel our sense of powerlessness. Our tendency, like the disciples,
is to go into the insular, self-enclosing of our own little self. When we
do this, it is like trying to solve the problem within the problem. God's grace
is bigger than our limited sense of self. Grace is woven into the fabric
of our lives. A German proverb ays: “Begin to weave, and God will
give you the thread.”
We need only to trust in and cooperate with
this divine presence, this Light of Life permeating all of life, and then our
voices resounding in “Christ is Risen” will follow us into our everyday lives
and unbeknown to ourselves reverberate for the Life of the World we live in.
Monday, April 3, 2023
Rich Man and Lazarus Deuteronomy. 30:11-20, Romans 10:5-13, Luke 16:19-31
As preached by Sister Cecelia
Holy Wisdom Chapel
April 02, 2023
At this time of year in
our area, sugar maples are being tapped for their sap. For many of us, the best
thing that happens to a stack of pancakes or French toast begins with a
crystal-clear sap that thaws in the warmth of spring. Heating the sap removes only
water until the sap is concentrated into maple syrup.
Like so many other
parables, the maple syrup symbolizes a parable that shows us what it means to
allow ourselves to change, to be recreated in the love of God. In letting our self-centeredness be boiled
away, by growing in consciousness, we can transform our lives in the grace and
peace of God.
The capacity for
consciousness may be what was lacking in the rich man regarding Lazarus. The
rich man did not become aware of Lazarus enough to help him in his lifetime,
but he was aware enough to recognize him in Abraham’s embrace after he died. We
don’t know what level of consciousness the rich man had, but we know enough to perceive
that he had not paid any attention to his Hebrew scriptures, nor had his
brothers. It would take something spectacular to wake them up. Abraham
acknowledges that the rich man belongs to his people, but that does not change
his condition and with compassion and regret explains why he ended up in hell.
In Deuteronomy chapter 15 and Isaiah chapter 58, as well as many other places, the
Hebrews were commanded to help the poor, the needy, and the naked.
Being wealthy, being rich
was not the rich man’s problem. Besides his lack of consciousness, it was his
lack of faith in God and God’s message that caused his inaction, his failure to
do good with all that he had been given.
Lent is nearly over. Are we
content with how we have spent our days? We can make this a season of
healing and hope for ourselves and those we love by doing everything we do with
more awareness of our God within. Have
faith to let God move us to go beyond anger, beyond any disappointments in our
efforts to please God, beyond our fears and skepticism. Be mindful that our
life choices take many forms and rely on gifts that each of us has in differing
ways and at different times. If our role is one of making critical decisions, we
will be wise to ensure not only that a decision is reached, with all its
information and consequences, but also that our disposition in that moment of
deciding is one of balance and moderation.
We can also broaden our understanding of the priestly character of all
God’s people—the priesthood of all believers, both Gentile and Jew alike, as
described in 1 Peter chapter 2. Without denying the importance of the ordained
priesthood, life becomes so much richer when each of us is able to lift up
every aspect of life for a blessing, offering it back to God, who has given it
to us in the first place. This elevates life to its true purpose: a gift of
love from God.
As St Augustine is quoted:
To live well is nothing other than to love God with all one’s heart, with all
one’s soul, and with all one’s efforts.
Like
the spring maple tree, may we be willing to give of ourselves for the sake of
others as Christ gave himself up for us, allowing ourselves to be transformed
in the life and love of the Paschal Christ.
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Sermon 186 March 26, 2023 Lk 1:26-38, Heb 2:11-18 Is 52:7-10 Annunciation
As preached by Brother Luke
Holy Wisdom Church
In
the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit!
The gospel's message of salvation has a
beginning point, it is today's feast of the Annunciation. Our Christian understanding
of salvation doesn't happen without Mary's assent to Gabriel's message from
God. Nevertheless, there can be the temptation to view Mary very narrowly, she
gave birth to Jesus, end of story. The rest of the story is all about Jesus.
The rest of the story is about Jesus, including the very human first 30 years
of his life.
Mary is the human connection we have with
Jesus and his heavenly father. And our human reality is that our mother's are a
very important part of who we are. And not just their DNA. Our mother's play an
important role in our upbringing. Why would we assume that this would not be
true for Jesus? If we notice that Jesus's public ministry didn't begin until he
was 30, this means for 30 years his family had an important impact on him. Mary
was very much around right through to his death on the Cross, where she stood
and watched her son die.
You might object, not much about that
first 30 years is mentioned in scripture. Yet, doesn't St John end his gospel
saying that if all that Jesus did were written down the world itself could not
hold all the books? [Jn21:25] In other words, scripture is not intended to tell
every aspect of the story. It gives a glimpse, important indeed, but not
complete. But if we take what is written about Mary and Jesus and then
integrate that with the human reality of family life, we can discern a valuable
message for us today.
The first message is the message itself.
The Annunciation. God, through Gabriel, is telling Mary that she has been
chosen to be the mother of God's Son. Although she was a young girl, shocked
and frightened by the prospect, she consented. She will bear that baby in her
own body and then care for him, bringing him up in a pious Jewish family
environment. We know from scripture that Jesus's family took seriously their
religious duties. Jesus was circumcised, named, and was presented in the
Temple. The family participated in the High Holy Days. But even more than
these, Mary cared for Jesus: she nursed him, fed him, clothed him, nurtured him,
protected him, listened to him, encouraged him - did all those things we expect
mothers to do. This role she played began at the Annunciation.
The message to Mary is the message to us
as well. We are also called to give birth to Jesus and then care for that
precious gift placed in us. God has placed Jesus and his message in our care,
do we do as much to protect and care for that message as Mary did for Jesus?
Mary was Jesus's sacred vessel before and after his birth.
Do we act as if we are also carrying that
precious, sacred gift and caring for it? If so, how do we care for it? By
living the gospel message! We share that precious gift by how we treat others;
by how we treat the world around us given to us by God; by how we treat our own
bodies, our sacred vessels; and by how we use the gifts and talents God has
given us. The Annunciation is not just Mary's feast, it is our feast as well.
It is our celebration of the gifts that God has given us. Can we consent, as
did Mary, to God's design for us and then act as Mary did to realize how
precious it is and carry it out? It may be a struggle to do this and that may
be why appealing to Mary for aid is so popular. She shows us the way a simple
humble human being can make a difference by a genuine response to God's call.
She shows us that it is possible.
Glory
be to Jesus Christ!
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Homily, February 19, 2023
As preached by Sister Cecelia
Holy Wisdom ChurchIsaiah 58:1-11, 1 John 4:11-18, Matthew 25:31-46
The parable in the gospel this morning has been explained in many ways. Some of the explanations are easily seen; some are much more subtle. I’m sure Jesus did not have anything against goats! But he is trying to warn those who chose evil over good that there are consequences for our actions, both good and bad.
How do we explain or understand that the people gathered there in the parable did not know that they had either responded with love for others or had chosen to ignore the needs of others? It is possible that one just responds to the situation and does not think that it is Jesus being helped or not being helped.
What thoughts would help us be aware of what we are doing and why we might do it—or not?
Become aware. But aware of what? In the free world, an emphasis is developing in our consciousness that we are all one. We are all united in creation. God is the Creator of all that is. God is Trinity, and as Jesus is the face of God, we know that it is a benevolent universe. God is not someone to be afraid of but is on our side, like the Good Shepherd or the Father of the Prodigal Son. If we want to make a difference in this life, seeking our personal perfection is not the goal to aim for, but investing time in learning how to walk intimately with Jesus—in union with the Divine Creator—is our goal.
To grow in our love and knowledge, it is imperative to schedule consistent time in our life to be in God’s presence. Do everything to clear the path of any barriers that stand in the way of taking time to build a deeper relationship with Jesus. Jesus does not ask us to do more for him; he has asked us to be more with him.
An important step to be more with him is to be a person who has let go of the illusion that love flows effortlessly from our fervent warm emotions. Love is much more a choice than an emotion. Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross is not accompanied by an exhilarating sensation. The stress and anxiety of Jesus’ coming passion caused him to sweat blood. Love is other focused. When we love, we order our thoughts, words, and actions to what is in the best interests of the other. Loving others therefore can be difficult and demanding. Allowing God to give us an accepting heart toward others is recognizing that love is a choice instead of an emotion.
God calls us to use the gifts we have been given for the benefit of others to bring about God’s kingdom on earth. Food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing those who have none, caring for the sick and the weak, helping those in prison, and doing what we can to bring peace and understanding to the world—these actions are what we do when we are more with Jesus. We are with Jesus when we remind ourselves that Jesus is within us. Eventually we will begin to see Jesus in the other. As we walk with Jesus, we become more authentic and more truly humble. When coming to grips with who I am, as accurately as possible in a clear-eyed appraisal of myself, I become more truly humble—that is, knowing myself, with my weaknesses and my strength, with my abilities and my liabilities. From the rejected people we meet in society to our acquaintances and our family, God calls us to love. This love is a decision that we express by accepting others, sacrificially doing both small and heroic acts for them, using our God-entrusted gifts for their benefit, and praying for them. As we grow closer to Christ, his love fills our heart and spills over into every relationship in our life. What helps us to be honest, sincere, and accepting of others and not judgmental, anxious, and afraid? Walking with Jesus, our God.
Christ is in our midst
Tuesday, February 14, 2023
Sermon 185 February 12, 2023 Lk 15:11-32, 1Jn 3:7-20, Jr 3:12b-15,19-22
As preached by Brother Luke
Holy Wisdom Church
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
I'm a fan of the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas. They were written as satires on 19th century Victorian society, and they were widely popular, particularly in the English speaking world. H.M.S. Pinafore and The Mikado are just two examples. Their popularity continued well into the 20th century. I'm not sure if that still holds today. W. S. Gilbert was the author of the stories, the lyricist, and Arthur Sullivan the composer of the music. But Sullivan also wrote other music, most of it forgotten today. Even in his day, he didn't want to be known just for the comic operas. It just so happens, early in his career, he wrote an oratorio: The Prodigal Son. It is also a favorite of mine and I usually listen to a recording of it this time of year. Curiously, in retelling the story, he left out the part about the elder son. It didn't really hurt the integrity of the musical composition, but it does miss an important lesson in the parable.
Ludolph of Saxony, a 14th century Carthusian monk, wrote a massive Life of Jesus Christ which I am currently plowing through. He uses all the available commentaries at his disposal, including patristic writings and medieval spiritual writers. So I skipped ahead to the chapter on the Prodigal Son to see how this parable was explained. It is way too detailed to fit into a brief homily. However, when discussing the brothers, Ludolph first refers to the elder brother as a metaphor of the Jewish people who worshipped "the one God by keeping the law." Then, from a different perspective, he sees the elder brother as "a Christian who perseveres in righteousness, although in a half-hearted way."
The elder brother is a challenge to us. Maybe even more so as we enter the Lenten season. If keeping the law and righteousness are not enough to secure salvation, then, as the disciples asked Jesus about the wealthy, who can be saved? In Jesus' times, and in ours as well, people admire the rich and famous and presume the upright will earn God's favor. And yet, the image of the father in the parable shows us something else. Not that the qualities of righteousness are bad, the father commends the elder son for his steadfastness. The missing element is the content of his heart.
The younger son who squandered his inheritance, when forced by circumstance to face his fallen state, repents and in humility returns to his father and confesses his waywardness as a sin against his generous father. The father accepts his son back, as if from the dead, and restores him to his place of honor in the household. The elder son's indignation at all of this prompts his father to appeal to him through his heart. The father never rejects what the elder son has done but rather seeks to draw from him compassion for the one who was lost but now is found. The younger son's heart has changed, but the elder son's heart has not. The elder son is like the pharisee we heard about last Sunday. He looks down on his wayward younger brother, presuming him unworthy of forgiveness.
God's love for us is not earned, it is freely given. And even more, when our sins are forgiven, the slate is wiped clean. That is the story of the younger son. His restoration is resurrection. The elder son cannot see beyond the law. However, his righteousness stands untempered by love or compassion. Righteousness without a pure heart is like faith without good works. The one without the other misses the point.
The weeks leading up to Lent prepare us for that special season. They are showing us that the frame of mind we need to profit from this season requires both work on ourselves and compassion towards others. This is the journey we enter in Great Lent.
Glory be to Jesus Christ!
Holy Wisdom Church
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
I'm a fan of the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas. They were written as satires on 19th century Victorian society, and they were widely popular, particularly in the English speaking world. H.M.S. Pinafore and The Mikado are just two examples. Their popularity continued well into the 20th century. I'm not sure if that still holds today. W. S. Gilbert was the author of the stories, the lyricist, and Arthur Sullivan the composer of the music. But Sullivan also wrote other music, most of it forgotten today. Even in his day, he didn't want to be known just for the comic operas. It just so happens, early in his career, he wrote an oratorio: The Prodigal Son. It is also a favorite of mine and I usually listen to a recording of it this time of year. Curiously, in retelling the story, he left out the part about the elder son. It didn't really hurt the integrity of the musical composition, but it does miss an important lesson in the parable.
Ludolph of Saxony, a 14th century Carthusian monk, wrote a massive Life of Jesus Christ which I am currently plowing through. He uses all the available commentaries at his disposal, including patristic writings and medieval spiritual writers. So I skipped ahead to the chapter on the Prodigal Son to see how this parable was explained. It is way too detailed to fit into a brief homily. However, when discussing the brothers, Ludolph first refers to the elder brother as a metaphor of the Jewish people who worshipped "the one God by keeping the law." Then, from a different perspective, he sees the elder brother as "a Christian who perseveres in righteousness, although in a half-hearted way."
The elder brother is a challenge to us. Maybe even more so as we enter the Lenten season. If keeping the law and righteousness are not enough to secure salvation, then, as the disciples asked Jesus about the wealthy, who can be saved? In Jesus' times, and in ours as well, people admire the rich and famous and presume the upright will earn God's favor. And yet, the image of the father in the parable shows us something else. Not that the qualities of righteousness are bad, the father commends the elder son for his steadfastness. The missing element is the content of his heart.
The younger son who squandered his inheritance, when forced by circumstance to face his fallen state, repents and in humility returns to his father and confesses his waywardness as a sin against his generous father. The father accepts his son back, as if from the dead, and restores him to his place of honor in the household. The elder son's indignation at all of this prompts his father to appeal to him through his heart. The father never rejects what the elder son has done but rather seeks to draw from him compassion for the one who was lost but now is found. The younger son's heart has changed, but the elder son's heart has not. The elder son is like the pharisee we heard about last Sunday. He looks down on his wayward younger brother, presuming him unworthy of forgiveness.
God's love for us is not earned, it is freely given. And even more, when our sins are forgiven, the slate is wiped clean. That is the story of the younger son. His restoration is resurrection. The elder son cannot see beyond the law. However, his righteousness stands untempered by love or compassion. Righteousness without a pure heart is like faith without good works. The one without the other misses the point.
The weeks leading up to Lent prepare us for that special season. They are showing us that the frame of mind we need to profit from this season requires both work on ourselves and compassion towards others. This is the journey we enter in Great Lent.
Glory be to Jesus Christ!
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