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The Loving Da... ReBlog

Thought I would take another short break from my current strand of posts to offer something more appropriate for Fathers' Day, but I haven't written anything new. But in trawling through my back catalogue I found this piece from pre-Facebook days, which I had completely forgotten. It is a straightforward contemporary retelling of the Parable of the Prodigal/2 sons. Given that I am sidestepping the Lectionary this morning and preaching from this story at a baptism and the focus of our President David Nixon on "God’s Lavish Love " as portrayed in this passage, I thought it was worth a tidy-up and reblog. 

Jesus: There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, Son 2: Hey Da!, Since it seems like you’re ne’er gonna die, gi’es my slice of the inheritance now, would ye!?'
Jesus: Surprisingly, the man divided all he owned between his 2 sons. But not long after that, the younger son packed his gear, and headed off across the sheugh and blew the lot on having a high old time. But just when he had spent his very last penny, a recession set in, so that the whole country was looking for work to put food on the table... So, in desperation he went and got himself a job with a local yokel who sent him out to look after his pigs. A great job for a good Jewish boy. But there he was sitting in the slurry with the pigs… Looking at the pigswill with longing in his eyes and a rumbling in his stomach. At last he woke up and realized how stupid he had been:
Son 2: What on earth am I doing? How many people of the people who work for my Da have more food than they can eat, yet here I am starving to death! I know; I’ll head for home and say to my Da: “Father (he’ll like that!)… Father, I have wronged God and wronged you. I know that I don’t deserve to be part of your family, but please will you hire me to work for you.”
Jesus: So up he gets and hitch-hikes his way home to his Da. But while he was still miles from home, his Da got wind of him coming and was choked up with love for him; he took off up the road like an Olympic sprinter, regardless of what the neighbours would say. And when he reached his son, he hugged and kissed him in the most embarrassing way. Then the son started into his prepared speech:
Son 2: Father, I have wronged God and wronged you. I know that I don’t deserve to be part of your family...
Jesus: But before he could finish what he had to say his Da said to one of his lackeys,
Father: Get a move on! Go out and buy my son some new clothes. Only the best mind you! And get him some jewelry… and shoes… Whatever he wants… And arrange a dinner… The fully monty… It’s party time! For I had given my son here up for dead and here he is large as life. I had thought he was lost for good, but I’ve found him again.
Jesus: So they began to party the night away. All except the older son who had been out on a job for his Da. As he came towards the house he heard music and laughter, so he asked his Dad’s foreman what was happening, only to be told that his brother had come home and that his dad was throwing a party for him. His nose was put so far out of joint that he refused to go into the house, preferring to huff outside in the cold. So for the second time that day the father went out to meet with one of his sons, this time the older one. He begged him to come in but the older son said:
Son 2: Hold on there Da! All these years I've been slaving my guts out for you. Doing every single thing you told me to. Yet you never even gave me enough money for a carry out to have a night in with my friends. But when this idle waster of a son of yours, who has wasted your money on wild women comes home, you waste my inheritance throwing a party for him.
Father: My son, my son! Don’t you understand… You are always with me, and what’s mine is yours. But how could I not throw a party, because now I have two sons again. I had given your wee brother up for dead and here he is large as life. I had thought he was lost for good, but I’ve found him again. Come on in and join the party...
Based on Luke 15:11-32
© David A. Campton 10/11/2007
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