Coming Home - Ash Wednesday homily

This is the homily from tonight

It is called the story of the lost son – the beginning of the chapter has the story of the lost coin and the lost sheep
And now the lost son (s)

It is familiar and true

A man had 2 sons – one son – the younger son. Rebellious, irresponsible, playboy, bored, impulsive, insensitive, independent
Just wanted to get away on his own.

And his father – allowed it. His taking half his inheritance was such a slap to his father – as if he was saying – you are dead to me
His father allowed it.
And gave him the money, the permission, the license to leave

And he did. And the story is pretty clear that he didn’t use the money well.
He wasted it. And then when “life happened” – a famine – he did not have enough to keep on going.
And he ended up slopping pigs and so hungry he would eat pig food
And then he came to his sense
Recognized the life he had walked from

And recognized that he had hurt his father.
Even prepared a speech to go home – I shall arise and go unto my father and say unto him father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son
And willing to just go and work -
And started home


Is that your story tonight?
Do you find yourself in the rebellious one
Do you have story of impulsively wanting what you want and wanting it now
Do you have a story of wastefulness – not recognizing the blessings until you are away from them
Do you ever look back at the way you treated people in your life and marvel at your insensitivity
Do you ever look at your relationship with God and realize that you had somehow – in your independence – gone far field from life in his sanctuary

And of course this is a story about two brothers.
The younger and the older
The one who is younger has sinned so obviously and now he is coming home again.
To a party hosted by his father, and to the disapproval of his brother.
Do you know the older brother? We look at him and say – he is the good son.
He works with his father in the field. Takes care of his family. .
And probably paid his bills on time, served as an elder in the church and was absolutely faithful to his wife.
It is the homecoming of the brother that reveals his secret sin – his resentful heart.
He looks very good on the outside – but on the inside he harbors bitterness toward his brother.
He is full of pride and self righteousness.
/He knows about law but not about grace.
And so the brother who looks lives with the father is as estranged as the one in the far countriy.
And he is lost as well.

What is your story tonight?
Is there a part of you that carries hidden resentments?
Do you have events in the past that continue to be areas of bitterness and blame?
Are you secretly competing and comparing with others and finding yourself always in the right?
Do you need to face and confess your pride and your self righteousness?

Two brothers – a familiar and true story about lostness
The one publicly lost – who went so far away he knew he was lost and made the journey home
The other privately lost - close by and unaware of the distance between himself and his father

You know the story. So familiar and so true.
And you know it is our story – my story and your story.

And of course we are here because of the Father.
Whose love is constant and sure and as free as the air we breathe.
Who gives us enough rope to hang ourselves and enough rope to bring us home again.
The father who waits patiently for his child to come to his senses and find grace
The father who waits for his child to open his heart and find peace.
He is waiting for us tonight - on the first night of Lent
To begin the journey back home.
Waiting for us to come home – to come to our senses – to change our hearts
To Return.