RETURNING HOME

WITNESS

8-14-13

RETURNING HOME

Picture This:

You are a parent-a man or woman

Of between 50 and 60

Your grown-up child comes to you

And says:

“Give me my share

Of the inheritance

And I will go away

And never bother you again”

You RESENT it

But you do it

And your child goes away

Spends ALL of his or her money

On gambling, drinking, and members

Of the opposite sex

The years come

And the years go

And finally your child

Comes home

And says

“I am sorry

I am no longer worthy

To be called your child”

He or she

Comes to BEG for anything

You would/or could give him

But before your child

Makes it to the door

You run to him or her

HUG them

And throw

A party for them

This is

EXACTLY the story

Of the Prodigal Son

In chapter 15 Of Saint Luke’s Gospel

Jesus tells this story

In response to the complaints

Of the Pharisees and teachers of the law

Who are complaining

About Jesus eating with sinners

“This man welcomes sinners

And eats with them”                                                                  Luke 15:2

It’s terribly easy

To resent the rule breakers of society

And say

“They shouldn’t get away with it”

But if you’ve been away from God

And the church

For a long time

I invite you

To read chapter 15

Of Saint Luke’s Gospel

About one lost sheep

About one lost coin

And about one lost son

Returning home to his father

That’s the way

It is with OUR God

You always get ANOTHER CHANCE

OUR LIVES

Are all about

                    RETURNING HOME

Robert P. Wallman

3-14-13

Ps        WITNESS        8-14-13