a retreat on the Prodigal son ,BIshop & Jeffry

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Rembrandt_Harmensz._van_Rijn_12
5.jpg

use the picture of the Prodigal son which I did not managed to
download ,so open the link above to view the picture & then when you
meditate on the picture you will come to a deeper spiritual
understanding of the text in Luke 15.The understanding of the text is
covered in Henri Nouwain's book on the prodiagal son but developed by
the 3 speakers over the weekend.

Some prelimary notes:

Rembrandt a Dutch painter painted this picture late in his career as

he was facing finacial & personal hardship.

In Jewish custom the eldest son is entitiled to a double portion in

inheritance hence
,the younger in the story took everthing that was due to a younger
son.

The talks are structured as

1.younger son
2.eldest son
3.the father.

The strategy laid out was to take the participant through the diffrent
roles in the picture,culminating in understanding what is the role of
God the father & our spiritual journey towards being some likeness of
this father figure.

Younger Son.

11Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger
one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So
he divided his property between them.

13"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. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in
that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired
himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields
to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the
pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's

hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I
will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have
sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be
called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20So 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; he ran to his son, threw his arms
around him and kissed him.

21"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and
against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.[a]'

22"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe
and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and
celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was
lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

( Luke 15:21 Some early manuscripts son. Make me like one of your
hired men)

It is the picture of a person before conversion of heart,a person who

wants to enjoy life,who wishes his father to die so he can his share &
a person full of contempt for
the Father & his father's household.

A person enamoured by the sucess,popularity & power of the world .

A person filled with anger,resentment,jealosy & pettiness.

Contd.of Younger Son.

Did the younger son really had a coversion of heart at the pigsty?

No.

He did not make up his mind to change as he was only interested in

coming back so he can at least eat a little food.He schemed what he
had to say to the father.

18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I
have
sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be
called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20So he got up
and went to his father.

So as he set off he kept repeating the theme :

Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer
worthy to be
called your son; make me like one of your hired men.'

But then when he met the Father ,the Father's reponse took him totally
by surprise & he could only utter:

21"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and
against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

the missing third line:

make me like one of your hired men.

is the pont when he was overwhelmed by the Father's response.

The Father in this passage knew his kinsmen will mock this son as he
enter his household,so he ran to his son forgoing any sense of dignity
as a clans leader to shield & welcome his son back his wavering son.

Rembrandt's picture has the son with a dagger which is a faimily

heirloom which signify sonship.The love of the Father for the son
automatically restore whatever was loss in the beggining.

Hence this is a picture of conversion of heart of someone who is

physically & mentally loss .

Next topic we will cover the eldest son although physically never left
home but has actually left home mentally a long time ago.

The Eldest Son.

25"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the
house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants
and asked him what was going on. 27'Your brother has come,' he
replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has
him back safe and sound.'

28"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father
went out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, 'Look!
All these years I've 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. 30But when this son of yours who has squandered your
property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for
him!'

31" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and
everything I have is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad,
because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost
and is found.'
For the Eldest son Bishop Ha asked us to observe closely the painting
by Rembrandt.

He ask us to note that although the eldest son has not left
physically ,he has left emotionally as evidenced by his speech his
disgruntle & his refusal to welcome his younger brother.He also did
not think highly of his father thought he was a fool going to be
conned again by the younger brother.

Observe his vestment which is of the same colour as the father ,the
eyes looking downward toward the brother,the stiff posture with the
crook as a sign of authority,the clasped hands .Contrast with the
father who bend & stoop over his son ,with open hands.

The elder son never very much loved the father ,only doing what is
needed of him ,hinting of the Pharisees who only uphold the letter of
the law.He is in a way a prisoner in his father's house.

However the father is trully a wise man ,he can see the younger son is
of the passionate type & respond likewise .He also can see his eldest
son is the calculative type & he appeals to his mind when he reminded
him that all he still has is not going to be dimnished with the
arrival of the younger brother.

" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I
have is yours"

Begging the son to let go the rivalry in his mind.

This part of the parable is not adressing the obvious sinners but of
the sinners & people imprisoned in resentment ,people who may be
dutifully religious but who are neither generous nor forgiving.This
text is referring to the Pharisee in all of us who are considered
religious.

Next I will conclude on the Father ,the texts show the progression of
a person from conversion from obvious debauchery to a person who
still hold grudges despite having the form of religion to finally
being a person who is like the father.

The Father

Examine the painting.

1.the eyes : not looking down like the eldest son.

2.the posture : stooping over as a sign of reconciliation.

3.the hands: RT hand does not grasp,softer,manicured,stroking

hand that is of maternal in nature. LT hand is muscular with a firm
grip of masculine nature.

The way of the father to the younger son:

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and
was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms
around him and kissed him.

2"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe
and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and
celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was
lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

You can see from the picture of the kneeling son putting his mask
down on the Rt. side in respond to the generosity of the father.
This is the moment of conversion.

What is it like to be like the Father?

1.Grief even when there may be no tears.

2.Generosity.
3.Forgiveness even when it is so difficult.a few examples were given.

Concluding segment .

Younger son

No matter how great the sin we must have confidence in God's

forgiveness,the forgiveness is not given begrudgingly but in fullness.

Eldest son.

Must learn to forgive & not look down on those who are off the
mark.Never for once forget that being with the Father one is giving up
something ,being with the father is life complete already & as the
Father has said all I have is yours.
Father

The love of the being a father is more than a disinterested love it is

being able to suffer grief yet able still to forgive not begrudgingly
but with overwhelming generosity to one who has wronged you.

These are the various stages of growth in a Christian life.

If one reflects it is not much diffrent from the various stages taught
by Erickson.

Eldest son.

Must learn to forgive & not look down on those who are off the
mark.Never for once forget that being with the Father one is not
giving up something ,being with the father is life complete already &
as the Father has said all I have is yours.

I use to attribute statements to Bishop John Ha but many may be

actually contributed by Jeffry or his wife Angie ,please note.

There were couple of examples but I have forgotten them maybe others
who have attended can contribute further.