Reconciled To Reconcile
18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands."' 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22 But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly, bring out a robe--the best one--and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!' And they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:18-24)
The Jewish leaders of Jesus' day were unhappy that Jesus regularly welcomed those seen as sinners to socialize with him, so Jesus told them the story of the "Prodigal Son". Since it's clear that the scribes and Pharisees didn't see themselves as sinners, they would very likely have seen themselves in the role of the "good" son who did what he was supposed to do, and didn't squander his father's resources. But Jesus didn't give the responsible son a satisfying ending - he was left with a choice: to join in the festivities and in his father's forgiveness of his brother, or to remain separated by bitterness and resentment.
There was never any question about the sinfulness of the prodigal son, nor about his humility (and courage) to return home admitting his guilt and hoping only to be a servant rather than restored as a son. Those of us who consider ourselves to be faithful may sometimes find that we have given ourselves the role of gatekeeper - to keep those "unworthy" away from God - rather than door keepers who usher all people into God's presence. The "good" son is not so much standing up for his father's honor as for his own. But we are all unworthy to be children and heirs of the Father - we have done nothing to earn all that the Father owns. Our ability or inability to welcome our brothers and sisters to God's table (it's not ours!), and our humility and gratitude over our own undeserved seat at that table may determine who exactly is the prodigal after all.
17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. (2 Corinthians 5:17-19)
