In this week’s gospel story, Luke 15:1-3, 11-32, we hear how the Prodigal Son lives high on the hog and then famine strikes in the land of his dream vacation. And so, he heads home, tail between his legs, expecting that he has lost it all. To his surprise, his extravagant failure is met with extravagant love and grace.
We can be pretty hard on ourselves when things don’t go as planned. Guilt, shame, and fear of being seen as a failure can leave us wallowing in the pig pen. Our delusions of a perfectible life keep us disappointed in ourselves.
Then there is the older brother, who may be even more lost than the prodigal. His delusion of a perfectible life makes him hard, bitter, and unforgiving.
Truth is, life is a big ole risk every single day and facing whatever each day holds is not only good enough, but worthy of love and grace. Do you find yourself being unrealistically hard on yourself or on others?
peace, Ernie
To listen to this week’s message, click on The Lost Elder Brother