Reading the Gospels for Lent

 

Read ~ Luke 14-16

 

These chapters begin to increase tension within Luke’s gospel.  The tension of a meal and the cost of discipleship.  Luke than offers a meditation on lostness in chapter 15, where we are invited to ponder prayerfully what we have lost or where we feel lost or relationship that are strained or no longer in existence.  The tension is amplified as Jesus teaches about a dishonest manager who is forgiven but unable to forgive (which can be like a mirror to our lives) and then a rich man who is unable to see the human person of Lazarus along his path (which can be like a window to the world).  Hold both those metaphors of a mirror and window in your life this day.  What are you seeing in yourself – good or not so great?  What are you seeing in others – both good and not so great.

 

Three questions to ponder prayerfully: When have you recently had a meal that filled you, where perhaps it wasn’t even about the food, but about the people there?  Did you notice anything new in the parable of the Lost Sons – because in my mind both brothers are lost – it is just that the older brother never changed his mailing address.  You can be lost and never leave home.  Finally, how might you look out the window of your life with new eyes to see the Lazarus you might be missing?  Remember this is easier when we slow down (throwback reference to yesterday!)

 

A few comments on the chapters:  I find the parable of the prodigal family to be so powerful ~ it really is a great summary of ALL the gospels.  “Great,” you think, “Now you tell me!  You mean I didn’t have to read all those other chapters during Lent!”  Sure, Luke 15, may be the CliffsNotes version of the good news, but you would miss some of the other deeper truths if you only read this one chapter.  The word, “prodigal” means lavish sharing that could even be reckless or wasteful.  We heard this in the parable of the Sower of chapter 8 too.  If prodigal means over the top, the younger son shows this by going off and spending all the inheritance in the blink of an eye with extravagant parties and expensive cars.  The father also is prodigal in showing over-the-top love in receiving the younger son home.  Finally, the older brother is prodigal in his anger – I can still feel his frustration radiating off the page when I read this parable.  Pause to reflect if you believe any of the actions and words of this family were justifiable, this can be a mirror to your life.  I encourage you to think about moments you have wandered off or walked away from relationships, even when you had a good reason to do so.  Think about moments you were overjoyed to embrace someone, even if that person hurt you.  Think about moments you have fueled and fed hurt and anger in your life toward someone else.  May the prodigal (over-the-top) love of God find you today in ways that surround and sustain you.  Amen.