Fourth Sunday of Lent - March 27, 2022

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Joshua 5:9a, 10-12     2 Corinthians 5:17-21      Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Almost 40 years ago my brother Andrew and I were in a youth production of the ‘Parable of the Prodigal Son’ at our church. Casting against type, Andrew was the prodigal son, while I played the good son. I recall him wallowing on the stage floor with pretend swine as I complained about not being recognized for my hard work. While my acting career remains on hiatus, I was reminded of this experience when reading today’s Gospel.

It is easy to imagine the good son as a sycophant, who tolerates working for his father in anticipation of his inheritance. But having inhabited the good son as an actor, I choose to think of him as content. He is happy until he sees his brother getting what he thinks is a better deal. At this point he becomes unwilling to enter his family home. This aversion to inequity is not limited to humans. In a series of experiments, capuchin monkeys changed their behavior when they saw another monkey receive preferential treatment (you really need to Google “capuchin monkey cucumber”).

What is Jesus trying to get us to realize with this story? Is the message that we should forgive as God forgives? Is it that God’s love for us is absolute? Is it that we are allowed free will? Is it that we are all prodigal daughters and sons called to turn away from our sinful lives and to return to God? Yes to all of these, but this year I am focusing on the good son’s capuchin-like jealousy. A jealousy so extreme that when speaking with his father, he refers to his own brother as “your son.”

Q: In what way does my perception of inequity cause me to not love as I should? Does jealousy make it harder for me to be grateful? How can I accept and appreciate that God’s love for me is a better deal than I deserve?


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