The story is told of a man in Italy whose son was estranged from him after a big fight. A few months passed without word. Finally, the father posted a notice all around Rome. It said, "Palo, I forgive you. I’m sorry. I love you. Please meet me at the square, Saturday at 3pm." That Saturday, 800 young men named Palo appeared at the square at 3pm…we all want to come home…we all want the love of our parent…and so often we need a reality nudge in order to be able to take that first step…something to rock our boat so we set sail again…toward that new horizon…of truth WITH acceptance.

Today’s story is a familiar one…a family story of will and welcome. Before we can understand the father’s welcome, we must first understand the son’s return. At first read, we may think his return has an element of repentance in it. But, the son doesn’t say he is sorrowful for what he has done to the father and family. He is alone and hungry. The son is beginning to see the consequences of his actions and perhaps the truth about his choices….which is not necessarily the same as being sorrowful and wanting to change your ways. His confession then is a bit of a calculated statement in order to receive the father’s care more than it is an acceptance of his truth and desire to become a new creation. The son comes without consideration for the father’s broken heart and what he has endured…at least not initially. Sounds so familiar. (And interesting, this is enough for the father to be able to celebrate.)

The father must have been standing there looking out parts of everyday in order for him to have been there the moment when the son first appeared. And the father, a man of prestige and wealth, for him to run…well men of position never ran in public and certainly not to someone less honorable than themselves. The father’s continuing care was his willing waiting…at all cost to himself, so he could welcome him home at long last some day…with a party even!

But, why does the father throw a party for the son? Isn’t he rewarding the boy for misbehaving? What will prevent the other son from making demands on him? That’s where our minds often go first. And, in fact, it doesn’t appear fair and the other son did react.

Ah…you see, the party is not for the son…either of them. The party is the father’s celebration. The father is celebrating his good fortune, not his son’s. We assume God is here to serve us. We assume this worships service is supposed to meet our needs, but it is not. This is a service of our father’s celebration….for we have been lost and we are found…we are here today! A worship party for God and some truth and acceptance for us.

Whine and complain as we may about our lives…maybe rightfully so, the point is not what we don’t have, our mistakes, our shortcomings, misjudgments, being on the short end….the point is we are loved and that makes all things possible…we find ourselves…new creations…we can…will you?

Right now…just as you are…you are a new creation! So, your life? So…get over it! Grow up…again…in God! Be re-created! Come home. Set sail toward new horizons.

We may be rebellious prodigals who have to find their way home, or judgmental elder siblings who have forgotten what a blessing it is to be home, but the goal of Christian life is not to become a better son/daughter. The goal is to become like the father. We are not to remain a child, but to grow up. To grow up, you have to be willing to see the truth of your ways and accept yourself the way you are, for what you are…and then join with the father…beginning to reconcile your ways with your words, your faith with your facts…begin to make conscious, aware choices.

The passage from Luke begins with Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners. He goes on to talk about two sons who both sin. The point of Jesus’ story is how much God cares and who God cares about: everyone! You! Think about yourself and the little and big choices you are making and who it is you are hanging out with or not. Think about God. Gods ways are not our ways…thank God! Who else graciously and joyfully welcomes us back from our most devastating screw ups? Who else loves you when you are unlovable, gladly giving you affection?

Prodigal love means loving God’s way…over the top and against all instinct and logic. You can leave your usual point of view, human perspective behind. You no longer HAVE to think about life the way you have been thinking about it. Justify yourself the way you’ve been trying to justify yourself. All that the father has is already yours…You can become new. Jesus tells us so.

Prodigal love is being able to welcome all without counting the cost or getting hung up on pride or ego. It begins with accepting the truth about yourself and extending acceptance to others…making you an ambassador of new life…bringing others on board! In the name of love and reconciliation, are you willing to see the new creation before your very eyes…in the mirror?!

To be able to love in this way, you have to look lovingly at yourself first…to accept your truths and love you just the same. To know prodigal love, to show prodigal love, you have to stay in the boat…with God…and keep sailing for the horizon of truth and acceptance. No blame. No shame.

It is Lent. Each in our own boats, we journey together…we don’t have to be of one mind to be of one spirit and journey together…we come from different places (within ourselves) but we sail toward the same faith horizons…self-awareness, second chances, truth and acceptance…our sails full of life’s possibilities! And all we have to do? …stay in the boat and row, row, row your boat…