Encountering Generosity
Yesterday’s Gospel was an old familiar: The Prodigal Son. Even those of us with minimal churching likely know the story. …but yesterday, I read it with fresh eyes. It’s a tale of encountering generosity - both of taking advantage of it and failing to recognize it - and, yet, the generosity remained - never being regretted or revoked.
Humor me first: actually read this before you dive into my reflection. The Holy Spirit may end up doing a fresh work in your heart too - and you won’t even need to read my words. God is good like that! Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
The Prodigal Son takes advantage of his father’s generosity. By asking for his inheritance - while his father lives(!), he both dishonors and rejects his father. He takes off for the greener pastures of foreign lands and wastes it all. As a famine hits, hunger leads him to humble himself and work with pigs (dishonoring his Jewish heritage). As a humble, HUNGRY farm laborer, he remembers the kindness and generosity his father shows toward his laborers. Sons and servants alike were well fed.
The father recognizes his son’s free will and honors his dignity, even though his actions belittle/demean him. The father does not demand respect, and even when he is rejected, he honors his son and acts generously - embodying humility and meekness. Further, the father is willing to act a fool by RUNNING to greet his son. As his son takes a position of humility (kneeling before his father) and repents of all his wrong thoughts and actions, the father quickly restores his son to a place of honor. The father is FILLED WITH COMPASSION toward his son - not anger or bitterness. The father has let go of any hurts or wounds (things he could rightfully cling to) in order to EMBRACE his son who has returned! The father kept no record of wrongs, but rejoiced in the truth of his son’s reprentance.
Now, the Elder Son. My impression of the elder son is that he’s a workaholic and fun-hater - as evidenced by the fact that he hears music and dancing and gets mad about it. He believes his brother is a lazy loser who has done nothing but live off the hard work of his father (and himself!) — and now he’s returned AND gets the fattened calf that should be reserved for worship! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Ok. Actually, when you put it that way, we’d all be mad, too. …I can imagine everyone of us have had those thoughts about another. AND THEN - his father has the nerve to try and reason with him, that he should be JOYFUL about all of this? UGH. HE NEVER GETS ANYTHING. NOT EVEN A GOAT.
Here’s where the Elder Son gets it wrong: he turns away from the father’s generosity (by refusing to participate). The father pleads (again, humbling himself) But for the Elder Son, it’s only about obedience and orders. He fails to recognize the father’s generosity toward himself, his brother, or…anyone.
The father states: ALL I have is yours! If you wanted a goat to party with your friends - it’s there! Yours! …but, did you even ask? …or just assume that all I wanted was obedience - and not a relationship? You are here with me always, but…you have not yet encountered my love for you.
A tale of two encounters with a father - one receives, the other rejects.
Our enter life is an invitation to ENCOUNTER THE GENEROSITY OF THE FATHER…AND SHARE IT!
The Prodigal Son squandered the Father’s generosity - and upon repentance and learning humility - receives it AGAIN! What illogical generosity of the Father!
The Elder Son has also squandered the Father’s generosity - 1) by judging it and 2) failing to recognize that he receives it too. He has lived his entire life under the roof of generosity - and all he’s seen are orders to be obeyed. He’s lived his whole life with his father…and yet, hasn’t actually encountered his heart! Just two beings circling near each other - but never embracing.
To encounter God is to be embraced by Him. We must recognize how we’ve failed to see his generosity toward us and others, and repent of that. We must say it out loud in front of our Father with sorrow and all intentions not to return to that way of life/line of thinking. In that act of humility, the Father forgives, embraces, and restores his generosity.
…and in turn, we life a changed life in the Father’s example: EXTENDING ILLOGICAL GENEROSITY to others.
…except, we are probably not “illogically generous.” We calculate; we judge; we mete it out. We call it being a good steward…and by “we”, I most definitely am talking about ME. I am not illogically generous. I, like Elder Son, often look at giving as an order/expectation. …and, sometimes, I begrudge others who take advantage of my kindness (which I view as generosity of spirit). (and sometimes, I don’t; sometimes I really do give without expectations)
When I was in spiritual direction courses, I learned the term, “scarcity mindset.” WHOO BOY! Did I identify with that big time!
Even though I’d encountered God’s generosity in so many ways by 2019, I still thought 1) I could lose it; 2) I played a role in earning it; 3) it might run out.
Let’s look back at our examples from this Gospel story. The ONLY work either son needs to do is to turn toward his father (repent) - and the father literally does the rest.
Once the Prodigal Son truly encounters his father’s generosity is NOW ready to be a steward of that. Now that the son realizes “all I have is yours”; he’s ready to be shown how to bless others in the same way he’s been blessed.
Forty-five years into this…twenty-five as someone who’s been consistently turning toward the Father; fourteen as someone who’s been consistently encountering Christ’s love through the Eucharist - and I’m just NOW realizing the GENEROSITY OF GOD and desiring to live with open hand and heart. I want to be filled to overflowing so that what I receive flows into everyone I encounter. I want to encounter my Lord and my God more and more - so that everyone I know and love encounters His generosity for them.
Lord, I want to be a witness of Your generosity.
