Crossing the Jordan and the Prodigal Son ?????

 Year C Lent 4 2025

This is one of those Sundays when the lectionary seems to me to have a plan.  While the connection between our first lesson about the Israelite’s entry into Canaan and the reunion of a wayward child with his father might not be apparent at first look I think it may gain some clarity with a look at the surrounding texts in both Joshua and in Luke.

In the first 4.5 chapters of Joshua we hear the story of the wilderness wanderers making their way to the promised land of milk and honey.  Moses has died before the crossing of the Jordan and he had laid hands on Joshua making him the new leader of God’s people.  When they arrived at the Jordan River Joshua instructs the bearers to carry the Ark of the Covenant into the river and the leaders of the twelve tribes to follow.  Each of the tribes is to select a round stone from the river and carry it to the other side where they placed the stones in a circle.  That place was called Gilgal and it is there that three of the wilderness traditions are broken. 

First all of the men who were born after leaving Egypt were circumcised.  The practice of circumcision had not happened in the wilderness and so the first act of obedience to God was to mark the tribes with this sign of the covenant.  When this is done Joshua declares that the disgrace of captivity is ended. 

The second mark is the celebration of the Passover.  Passover had first been celebrated on the night of the Exodus itself, with blood on the doorposts and the lintel of their houses, as a sign of their faith and their identity.  Passover had not been celebrated in the Wilderness and so this Passover would forever become a time to teach the children about the what, why and where of the first Passover. 

And the third change in the lives of the Israelites was the move to dependance on the produce of the land for their food.  They are no longer dependent on the daily provision of manna.  With that change the manna ceases.  In the next verses the conquest of the land begins with the attack on Jericho. 

The Gospel for the day is the parable of the Prodigal Son, (who in my mind never truly repents but that is a story for another day – perhaps this week’s Bible study…) It has always seemed to me that we fail in our study to pay attention to the actions and feelings of the elder jealous brother, who was bent out of shape because the father had killed a fatted calf to welcome the prodigal brother home.   Of course the father threw a big banquet over his son whom he thought to be dead but who was now alive. But every other day he kept the elder son alive with plenty of food.  Parents who have children living close and others who live far away to this sort of thing all the time.  When Barbra comes to visit I always roast, barbq and bake her favorite recipes – not so much for the children who come to eat supper once a week.  That is more likely to be red beans and rice.  For right or wrong both are ways of showing love for all our children.  Jesus tells this story in response to the Pharisees and scribes criticizing him for associating with people who were outsiders, people not good enough for them.  They want to question his authority.  But what he is telling us is not a claim to authority…  rather Jesus wants us to know without a doubt that God is a god of compassion who welcomes all with joy and celebration

 Sunday after Sunday God invites us sinners to this Table for Eucharistic sustenance.  Others choose to come once or twice a year, (we call them C&Es).  But God receives us all with open arms, not counting - just welcoming.   And for all of us the joy, the love, the forgiveness, the affirmation at the table is so real that we can taste it.  Perhaps the link between these two lessons today is to remind us that our daily supply of food is not to be taken for granted and minimalized as if receiving it meant nothing and even when we have lost our way God welcomes us with the best cut of meat and loads of desserts.

These two stories are really about how human brokenness separates us from God’s love and God’s forgiveness.  We all participate to a greater or lesser degree in all forms of human brokenness.  There is no offense, no crime, no act of violence that does not have its seeds in our own hearts… as and if we choose power and wealth over humility, generosity and repentance.  What does God ask of the Israelites, but faithfulness to the Covenant.  What does the prodigal’s father ask of the sons, but the willingness to put down the jealousy and selfishness and to be reunited to the family.  What does God ask of us?  I think Micah is hard to beat – to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.

Perhaps that is where we are on this fourth Sunday of Lent.   Perhaps it is time for us to turn from our fasts and our penance and allow God to welcome us sinners.  The Lord said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt."   Come join the party, Jesus says. What do you care if others come late, or have checkered pasts — you’re already here with me, and these are your brothers and sisters, so welcome them home! Don’t miss out on an opportunity to rejoice!

The hardest thing Jesus asks of us to show compassion just as God shows compassion.  Not only to be forgiven ourselves, but to forgive others.  This is central to Jesus’ message because we are heirs of God, children of God, created in God’s image.  As long as we belong to this world we act as outsiders, but if we belong to God who loves us unconditionally …then we can also love unconditionally with the radical love of enemy as well as friend  of sinner as well as righteous or white as black, gay as straight, Muslim as Christian

This past week as we considered the parable of fig tree in our mid week Bible study we asked ourselves “who in my life is fertilizer for my faith?  Who or what might be preventing me from blossoming?”  Perhaps a takeaway for us this week and fodder for Bible study is to ask ourselves… What Gilgal have I missed as I hurried past in search of power, money, or comfort”  What gift from God have I forgotten to acknowledge or to tell my children about?  Who is the elder brother in my life that I forgot to invite to the party?  Who would I rather not invite? Who do I wish to exclude?  Reconciliation and repentance here is communal, not individualistic.  God’s love is communal and there for all who choose life. 

Let us pray:

Loving Creator,  I feel the pace quicken, the time draw near.   I am filled with joy as I move toward Easter and to be more fully reconciled with you. 
 Teach me to follow the example of Joshua and the people of God in faithfulness and of the father in love, generosity and forgiveness.  Help me to live each day as Jesus did - turning hatred to love and conflict to peace.  I await the new promised life with eagerness, faith, and a deep gratitude.  Amen