This month, our services have all explored the same parable, but from four different angles...
The "Prodigal Son" from the perspectives of each of the two brothers, the father and on Sunday coming, the mother. It has been interesting and challenging (it would have been everso easy to say the same things every week) and I've had my thinking stretched quite well along the way.
This morning, as I was 'hymn choosing' for this Sunday, I dug out a sermon I wrote back in 2009 telling the story from the perspective of the mother. It was intriguing, if not entriely surprsing, that some of the same ideas, words and phrases were present in that sermon, so I think it's good that I'm taking a slightly different slant this time.
Anyway, for those who like a bit of a narrative preach, here's what I wrote all those years ago...
A woman had a husband and two sons whom she loved dearly...
My husband is a good man, hard working and moderately prosperous; there is always plenty to eat, the servants and hired hands are paid properly and there is usually some money over to save. My elder son is, as is often the way with first-borns, obedient and compliant, working hard alongside his father, diligently learning the family business and sticking to all the rules. One day he will inherit it all, and he needs to understand every detail of what’s involved. His younger brother is very different, happy-go-lucky and mischievous, often in trouble for some minor misdemeanour but with a winning smile and sunny personality. No responsibility to weigh upon his young shoulders, but the knowledge that he will be well provided for after his father’s death. Ours was a contented family and life ambled along uneventfully until one fateful day…
When my husband walked in that evening I knew something was up, but I wasn’t ready for what he had to tell me. My younger son, my baby, was going away! He had come to his father and asked for his share of the inheritance now, in cash, and, after thinking it over, he had agreed. I was angry and devastated, just about to shout at him when I caught the look on his face – he looked as if the bottom had fallen out of his world. “He might as well have wished me dead,” he said sadly, “but he has to be free to make his own choices and find his own way in life, so what could I do?” I was tempted to tell him what I thought, but I held my tongue, and held him as he wept like a child himself.
We tried to carry on life as usual, but every evening I watched my husband walk to the end of the road, peering into the distance, hoping against hope that today news would come, but it never did. Thank goodness for my elder son, I thought, he keeps things on an even keel, getting on with his work, never complaining, just doing what must be done. He seemed quieter and more serious than ever, his humour dried up and he filled almost every hour with work. He rarely saw his friends, and when they did meet up it was just for a quick chat before he was back to work. It seemed as if I had lost both of my sons – one literally, gone away, and one figuratively, to a silent world of obedience.
Laughter was no longer heard in our house, we just got on with what had to be done. Sadness and bitterness crept in to every corner and the ache of it was almost unbearable.
One evening my husband went out as usual to walk to the end of the road. I thought how tired he looked, how all this had aged him: he was a shadow of his former self, empty and broken. It wasn’t that he loved my elder son or me any less than before, but something was missing and he longed to find it.
As I watched, I saw him break into a run – robes flying everywhere as he tried to cover the ground at speed. Someone was coming the other way… was this finally news? Would it be good… or would his worst fears be realised as our son was lost forever, dead and buried in some faraway place?
I turned towards the field where my elder son was still hard at work and a shiver ran down my spine. How would he react if it was bad news? What if it was good? What was all this doing to my wonderful proud, loyal son?
The sound of laughter and raised voices drew my attention back to the road. My husband, walking arm in arm with some ragamuffin who looked in need of a square meal! As they drew nearer I realised that this ragamuffin might be… could be… was… my own little boy, back home after all this time. Grabbing a robe I ran to greet them and the three of us danced for joy in the middle of the dusty road! A party – we must have party. The order rang out, the calf was slaughtered and the meal prepared.
We were so caught up in the moment none of us thought to call in his elder brother, to tell him his brother was safe, to bring the two of them together privately.
He came in from the fields much later, tired, grubby and hungry. He walked into the room to hear happy voices singing, to see people dancing and to smell wonderful food being cooked. What should have been a moment of great rejoicing turned sour as an angry voice cut through the air. “What about me? I’ve slaved away all this time, worked extra hours, and done all I could to keep things going. What thanks do I get? Not even a goat to share with friends.”
I stood, speechless as angry tears rolled down the cheeks of my wonderful, strong, proud older son. I saw him turn away from his brother’s outstretched arms and run from the room. Silently my husband followed him, crestfallen but not angry. In measured tones he responded, “My precious son, I love you as much as ever I loved you. You are always with me and everything I have is yours. But can’t you be glad with me that your brother who was lost to us is now found, that the one we feared was dead is so very much alive…”
As I peeped round the doorway I saw them, clasped in an embrace, my gentle, wonderful husband tenderly holding his son as the sobs wracked his body and the bitterness spilled into tears…
What happened next? Did they come back into the feast? Were the boys reconciled? Did they come to understand one another and find their place within their father’s affections? What do you think… how would you tell the tale… how would you live it?