Prodigal Thoughts, part 1

I am seized by the readings for this coming Sunday.  We have the story of the Prodigal (Luke 15), and  the Epistle (2 Cor. 5:16-21) that is also appointed for the feast of Mary Magdalene (who knew a thing or two about prodigal love).  The themes and messages are too much for one sermon, or one blog post.  I'll see when it's time to stop!

One path I'm thinking about is the nature of righteousness.  "For our sake he (sic) made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God: (2 Cor. 5:21).  OK, so setting aside the question of how Jesus was "made to be sin," let's think about the righteousness of God.  What is that righteousness like?

It's clearly not like the righteousness of the older brother.  He has indeed followed the law, done his duty.  He certainly thinks he's been righteous.  And I think a lot of people would agree with him, and would feel just as he does when his ne'er-do-well brother returns to a big welcome.  If righteousness is about obeying the commandments, he's entirely in the right and his father owes him an apology.

But the father has another idea, and God has another righteousness.  It seems that the righteousness of God is about welcome, about forgiveness.  In Christ "there is a new creation."  Now, some people would distinguish reconciliation from forgiveness (maybe that's for another day), but the father in the story is clearly not waiting for the son to admit his faults.  He's just glad he's back.  He has already forgiven him.

We often distinguish righteousness from self-righteousness, and that's one way to approach it in our lives.  But the righteousness of God has no counterpart of self-righteousness.  Letting go of self is part of God's righteousness.  God is not standing at the door waiting for us to confess and measure up.  We need to confess in order to find the courage to enter the door, not in order to appease God.  God has the door open all the time.

So today, I'm basking in the righteousness of God.  Paul says that in Christ we might become that righteousness.  That's another huge idea, for another day.  Today I'll just take in this little part.

Come home.  All is forgiven.



P.S. Our monthly newsletter comes out on Saturday, with more on reading this story.  Tune in then!
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