Luke 15:11-32
This fall our congregation is embarking on a journey to wholeheartedness. You might ask, what is wholeheartedness? Wholeheartedness or wholeness is the idea that we are centered in God. The idea that when we get up each morning and live into the day that we start from the base of God and move out in love. Unfortunately, most of us find ourselves pulled in so many different directions and divided that we can barely think about the idea of being centered. What happens to us when we try to exist as a divided person is that we tend to be unable to give ourselves and others the love that is within us or the true light and spirit that is needed for our journey as disciples.
The way we will be talking about wholeheartedness is through the lens of the parable of the Prodigal Son. The parable as you hear has four perspectives, you might think three, but there are four. This story happened in a community and that is where we begin. What would it have been like for the servants, neighbors, farmers, and others who saw this situation taking place? What was their role or response? In the culture of the time, the people who encountered the youngest son should have taken care of him, made sure he had something to eat. It would have been against the rules of hospitality to not do so. In some cultures, spending all that you have was seen as the right thing to do and expected to equal out how people lived, especially if he spent it to help others. It doesn’t say anywhere what he spent his inheritance on, the elder brother assumes it, but doesn’t know for certain. Our concept of spending lavishly is different depending on your culture.
When it comes to finding wholeheartedness in our lives, it’s not done in a vacuum. We each help one another become wholehearted through our joint experiences as the church, through our relationships and learning from each other. We stay in a faith community because we cannot do it alone and because our prayer together, worship together, and marking our lives throughout the year together keep us centered and accountable.
The community of the Prodigal Son might have been divided on how to move forward or best help, but what we learn from this story is that we continue to be better together. As we journey through this September, may you find the beginnings of your center. The light of God which resides in you. Sometimes it just takes us learning to get out of our own way and lean on each other.
Questions for Reflection:
- What things are pulling you in a thousand different directions?
- How has your faith community helped center you?
Prayer:
God of Community,
When we feel divided or pulled in a thousand different directions, may we see and feel your light. May we find a community that we can learn from, lean on, and be transformed together with. May our journey to wholeheartedness be one of self-discovery and openness. In your name we pray, Amen.
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