Lectio Divina: All I Have Is Yours (The Lost Son)

Hi,

This is Mark Gladman.

Thank you for joining me again for this Lectio Divina meditation on Luke chapter 15 verses 11 to 32,

Which you would probably know more fondly as the parable of the prodigal son.

It's probably one of Jesus' most well-known parables alongside the parable of the good Samaritan,

But it's one that is rich in fodder for Lectio Divina.

There are three characters in this story,

However most of us when we reflect on it think of ourselves as only one of them.

We only see ourselves in one of the characters,

And usually it's the young boy who gets received back by his father.

But today I want to encourage you to reflect on this Lectio in a slightly different way,

And that is with each reading,

Perhaps meditate on where each character is found in you.

As you sit in meditation with this,

See if you can find all these three characters and where they live within your own being.

What part does the father,

What part does the older son,

And what part does the younger son play in your own life?

Cynthia Bourgeau says the parables are mirrors that reflect back to us,

Our own state.

And if you work with this parable in that way,

You'll be using it the way Jesus intended,

And get a glimpse at the complexity of who you are,

And also where these images reside in your own being.

And so I encourage you just to sit,

To relax,

To breathe deeply for a moment after we will begin in prayer,

To settle yourself,

And then we'll read through this parable three times.

And as I said,

Each time choose one of the characters on which to reflect in the silence after,

And see where you can see that character resonating in you at various times in your life.

And ask the question,

What is the spirit saying to me today about how I'm to handle and to hold that part of me?

What am I to do with it?

How am I to change it or transform it,

Or to find healing or wholeness within it?

So just close your eyes and let's begin.

God,

We thank you for this opportunity to pause and take some time to reflect and meditate on the scripture that's before us today.

We ask you to help us to open our ears,

To hear and listen carefully to what it is the spirit is saying to us through the text today.

Open our minds to think clearly about what it is the text is saying to us,

And what it is that we need to do with the text as we move forward from this moment.

And help us to open our hearts that they might be good soil to receive the seed of the words that we read today.

So that seed might go deep and grow and blossom and flourish and bring forth good fruit in our lives,

Fruit that will last.

That we can be what you need us to be and what you've created us to be as we seek to live in harmony and community with the world and the people that are around us.

And may your word live in us and bear much fruit to your glory.

Amen.

Jesus continued,

There was a man who had two sons.

The younger one said to his father,

Father,

Give me my share of the estate.

So he divided his property between them.

Not long after that,

The younger son got together all he had set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.

After he had spent everything,

There was a severe famine in that whole country and he began to be in need.

So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.

He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating,

But no one gave him anything.

When he came to his senses,

He said,

How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare and here I am starving to death.

I will set out and go back to my father and say to him,

Father,

I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son.

Make me like one of your hired servants.

So he got up and went to his father.

But while he was still a long way off,

His father saw him and was filled with compassion for him and he ran to his son,

Threw his arms around him and kissed him.

The son said to him,

Father,

I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son.

But the father said to his servant,

Quick,

Bring the best robe and put it on him.

Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

Bring the fatted calf and kill it.

Let's have a feast and celebrate.

For this son of mine was dead and is alive again.

He was lost and is found.

So they began to celebrate.

Meanwhile,

The older son was in the field.

When he came near the house,

He heard music and dancing.

So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on.

Your brother has come,

They replied,

And your father has killed the fatted calf because he has him back safe and sound.

The older brother became angry and refused to go in.

So his father went out and pleaded with him.

But he answered his father,

Look,

All these years I have been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.

Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.

But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home,

You kill the fatted calf for him.

My son,

The father said,

You are always with me and everything I have is yours.

But we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again.

He was lost and is found.

So he called my brother and said,

Look,

All these years I have been slaving for your were not found redne Army Fellow".

Jesus continued,

There was a man who had two sons.

The younger one said to his father,

Father,

Give him my share of the estate.

So he divided his property between them.

Not long after that,

The younger son got together all he had,

Set off for a distant country,

And there squandered his wealth in wild living.

After he had spent everything,

There was a severe famine in that whole country,

And he began to be in need.

So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country,

Who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.

He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating,

But no one gave him anything.

When he came to his senses,

He said,

How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare,

And here I am starving to death.

I will set out and go back to my father and say to him,

Father,

I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son.

Make me like one of your hired servants.

So he got up and went to his father.

But while he was still a long way off,

His father saw him and was filled with compassion for him,

And he ran to his son,

Threw his arms around him,

And kissed him.

The son said to him,

Father,

I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son.

But the father said to his servant,

Quick,

Bring the best robe and put it on him.

Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

Bring the fatted calf and kill it.

Let's have a feast and celebrate.

For this son of mine was dead and is alive again.

He was lost and is found.

So they began to celebrate.

Meanwhile,

The older son was in the field.

When he came near the house,

He heard music and dancing.

So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on.

Your brother has come,

They replied,

And your father has killed the fatted calf because he has him back safe and sound.

The older brother became angry and refused to go in.

So his father went out and pleaded with him.

But he answered his father,

Look,

All these years I have been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.

Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.

But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home,

You kill the fatted calf for him.

My son,

The father said,

You are always with me and everything I have is yours.

But we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again.

He was lost and is found.

You are always with me and everything I have is yours.

You are always with me and everything I have is yours.

You are always with me and everything I have is yours.

Jesus continued,

There was a man who had two sons.

The younger one said to his father,

Father,

Give me my share of the estate.

So he divided his property between them.

Not long after that,

The younger son got together all he had,

Set off for a distant country,

And there squandered his wealth in wild living.

After he had spent everything,

There was a severe famine in that whole country,

And he began to be in need.

So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country,

Who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.

He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating,

But no one gave him anything.

When he came to his senses,

He said,

How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare,

And here I am starving to death.

I will set out and go back to my father and say to him,

Father,

I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son.

Make me like one of your hired servants.

So he got up and went to his father.

But while he was still a long way off,

His father saw him and was filled with compassion for him,

And he ran to his son,

Threw his arms around him,

And kissed him.

The son said to him,

Father,

I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son.

But the father said to his servant,

Quick,

Bring the best robe and put it on him.

Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

Bring the fatted calf and kill it.

Let's have a feast and celebrate.

For this son of mine was dead and is alive again.

He was lost and is found.

So they began to celebrate.

Meanwhile,

The older son was in the field.

When he came near the house,

He heard music and dancing.

So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on.

Your brother has come,

They replied,

And your father has killed the fatted calf because he has him back safe and sound.

The older brother became angry and refused to go in.

So his father went out and pleaded with him.

But he answered his father,

Look,

All these years I have been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.

Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.

But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home,

You kill the fatted calf for him.

My son,

The father said,

You are always with me and everything I have is yours.

But we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again.

He was lost and is found.

As we rise from this time of prayer we give thanks for this moment,

Reading the Scriptures,

Meditating,

Praying and contemplating on their meaning and the change and transformation that can be done in our lives through these words.

As we go from this place today,

May we go,

Seeing the world with fresh eyes,

Knowing that love lives in us and allowing that love to flow through us to the world in which we live.

Amen.