Prodigal Son 2012 - Fr. Michael Margitich

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy

Spirit. The voice is not mine. It came upon me

last night. I was struck with laryngitis. So

I appealed to the rector to release me from my

responsibility. But you know the answer. In the

name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Glory be to Jesus Christ. It has been said many

times by many biblical scholars that if we had

lost all of the sayings and teachings of Jesus,

but we had in our possession the only one parable,

and that being the parable of the prodigal son,

which was read this morning, we still would have,

in essence, the very nature and very heart of

Christ's teachings. Because this parable portrays

God's compassion, his immeasurable compassion,

his love and his concern for the lost sinners.

This story is so well known that there's no need

to repeat it. But I do want to underscore certain

aspects of this parable. And the first thing

I want to point out is why Jesus gave this parable

on this particular occasion to those who are

listening to him. And I quote, There drew near

to Jesus all the publicans and sinners to hear

him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured,

saying, This man receiveth sinners and eateth

with them. Do you remember last Sunday the gospel

that the Father preached on the publican and

Pharisee? The Pharisees considered themselves

the separate ones. And so Jesus, wanting to point

out how important it is not to forget those who

have strayed, gave three parables in this 15th

chapter of St. Luke. And I would urge you to

read this particular chapter. St. Luke, 15th

chapter. In this chapter, Jesus spoke of the

lost sheep and the other parable he spoke on

was the lost coin and the third parable, the

most magnificent of all, was the prodigal son.

The Pharisees had no time to be concerned with

sinners. Nor could they stomach Christ's teachings

about our Lord's concern about sinners. And so

Jesus spoke these three parables. All three have

the same objective. All three point to the same

point. God does not sit passively while people

are going to hell. He seeks out sinners. He loves

them, pursues them, and longs for them to be

saved. As we have. In the 33rd chapter. The prophet

Ezekiel saying. The words of God. As I live.

I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

And the prophet Isaiah. Said this. As the bridegroom

rejoices over his bride. So does. God rejoiced

over the sinners. What magnificent imagery. There

is joy in the presence of angels of God, says

the scriptures, over one sinner who repents.

Notice, my dear people, over one sinner who repents.

And on this second pre -Lenten Sunday, both the

Gospel and the Epistle alerts us to the need

of repentance. For if we are to take Lent seriously,

I prophesy to you that it will be a struggle.

But it will also bring you joy. Jesus teaches

in his parable that repentance is not related

necessarily to doom, gloom, and the fires of

hell, but with joy. And then our Lord relates

this parable. The father of the parable, the

father of the son, seeing his son a distance

away, says the scriptures, Runs to him. The father

runs to him. Embraces him. Kisses him. And then

what does he do? He arranges a joyous celebration.

For the return of his son. This is scriptural.

It's amazing. Now the father is like. Of the

parable is God. This is how God welcomes us.

When we come with. Before him with repentance.

So what does he see when. When his son returns.

He turns to his servants as hurry. Hurry. Bring

out the best robe. Put it on him. Put a ringer

up. Put a ring on his finger. Put shoes on its

feet and then butcher the finest calf and let's

be merry. Let's be merry. Again, I want to say

this is how God welcomes us when we come before

him in the spirit of repentance. Now notice what

the son's, the brother had done, the oldest son.

He heard the music. And he said, what's going

on? And they told him that his brother returned.

And his father went out and said, come son, come.

Come, participate in this joy. For your son was

dead and now he is alive. He was lost and now

he is found. Come and enjoy the feast. And what

does his brother say to him? Father, you've erred.

Man, you've erred. Your son is a no good Nick.

He took the inheritance. He spent all of it.

He dishonored you. He dishonored the family.

And yet, you welcome him with open arms and arrange

a party for him. Yes, he said, son, I have. Because

your brother was dead, and now he's alive again.

He was lost and now he is found. So rejoice.

Be happy for me and with me. My dear people.

God is like that. In our relationship with him.

When we are away from him. The Lord learns and

yearns for our return. Just like the father of

the prodigal. He patiently waits for us. Now

we do not generally associate joy with penance.

More often than not, I know when I go to my spiritual

confessor, I feel that way too. I find it sometimes

difficult and painful to admit that I went astray.

And I have shortcomings. But from the gospel

of today, we learn, That to God, repentance is

a moment of joy. Because it's a sign of our spiritual

restoration. We're no longer lost. Because repentance

is not a religious duty. Not a legal transaction.

Not some... Church obligation. To be filled.

For the sake of God. Rather. Repentance. Is our

willingness to come before the Lord. And trust.

In his love. And mercy. And kindness. There's

one other aspect of this. that always has intrigued

me. When one falls into sin and cries out with

sincere contrition and repentance, the fall is

not into the pit of nothingness, but into the

loving arms of God our Father. And in the words

of the psalmist, we hear these incredible words.

The mercy of God runs after us all the days of

our life. And we hear this passage so frequently

during the vigil. For his mercy endures forever.

His mercy endures forever. In the book, Dialogue

with the Savior, which is written by a monk,

and I know it's in our bookstore, because I have

reread it a couple of times. The author pictures

Jesus saying, follow me. And the monk answers,

but Lord, I have often and for many years have

heard your call. I started many times to follow

you. But I have fallen on the wayside. And I

have lost sight of you, my Lord. And yet, and

yet deep within me, I always felt you were saying

to me, get up, get up, get up again. Master,

do you mean I am not rejected because of my failures

and my betrayal? and jesus said to him as he

says to each one of us this morning come come

and follow me who could ever forget what saint

paul wrote in that glorious epistle to the romans

god has shown how much he loves us while we were

sinners. While we were sinners, Christ died for

us. Glory be to Jesus Christ.