Summary: There is something more important and deeper than the story of an apple, a snake, and two people at the beginning of Genesis. Some like to think it is the story of sin, and what some call, “Original Sin.” I have no argument with that interpretation. It simply doesn’t matter to me. It seems to me that getting all hung up on Adam and Eve an their sin in Paradise is the beginning of the blame game. It becomes very easy to blame them for everything, and act as though their sin is the cause of my sin, which of course is silly since that thinking proposes that we have no choice and are so helpless that we cannot say “No” to temptation.At this age of my life, I am beginning to see a little deeper into that story and see it from another angle; one which today’s Gospel proposes to us. I wonder how it is that finding themselves in that Paradise, living in such innocent and pure intimacy with God, with each other, with all of creation with everything in all creation at their disposal, they refused to be happy, to enjoy, and live with glad satisfaction in those circumstances. To put it simply; was wrong with them? Why could they not live that joy?What this story then becomes and reveals is the beginning of our refusal to accept and live in the joy of being in God’s presence. Despite being placed in this wonderful world, despite being called into this beautiful community of faith in which we can experience daily the presence of Christ handed on for us in the Holy Eucharist, in spite of the blessed assurance of God’s love revealed in the Word of God we proclaim so boldly, we still refuse the joy.Every member of the human family with the exception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and our Lord himself has become preoccupied with our own effort to find joy in everything but the free gift of God’s graceful love. We seem to prefer our own insufficient and short-lived efforts to find joy and contentment everywhere else. The consequence is a world of sadness, loneliness, stress, addiction, or despair. We ignore and sometimes refuse the abiding joy that God longs to give us.I wonder sometimes if we do this because it is too good to be true, or because we cannot imagine a reality beyond ourselves, beyond what we can think of or create or control. Whatever the reason to see and our refusal to enter into the joy that God offers us, we have the source of sadness, sinfulness, and in the end the real possibility of our eternal loss.Look at this Gospel story. It is our story. Not many of us can identify with the younger son so don’t spend a lot of time on that piece of this story unless you know you have run off and squandered it all. Not too many of us can identify with the father unless you’re really close to God and God-like behavior. I like to think of him in connection with last week’s parable where the fig tree had a champion to hoe, fertilize, and water for one more year. Whoever that was; they didn’t give up on the tree just like this father does not give up on either son. He waited, like God waits. He never said to the rest of the family: “Forget it, he’s always been that way, and he’ll never change.” I doubt that he even changed the locks on the house! Did you ever notice that they had a fatted calf on hand? I’ve always suspected that the father kept one ready for that day when it would be needed.It seems to me that if we want to bring this parable to life, we ought to take a good look at that older son, the who has everything, the one who is always there, like you and me in this church week and after week, the one so favored and so gifted by this generous father. We’re the ones who have it all, at least all that we need. We are the ones who live in the father’s presence. Yet, we all have spells when we refuse the ultimate gift provided by this generous father, the gift of joy that comes from sharing the father’s joy, from embracing and joining in a blessed reunion, and participating in the father’s generosity.Fortunately for us, the father keeps waiting, keeps coming out, keeps calling us to come and share the joy, to realize with joy all that we have been given, to embrace with joy the promise made to those who choose to live in his house, to be watchful and quick to welcome those who have run off seeking their own pleasures and fortune, and finally to share the joy that comes from intimacy and the favor of feasting at this table.In John’s Gospel at the last supper, Jesus prays intensely: “As the father loves me so I also love you. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain his love. I have told you this so that my joy might in in you and your joy might be complete.”This Joy that Jesus offers us is not something that can be found by human ingenuity or cleverness. It comes from our relationship with Christ and through Him with His Father. It is the surest sign of a shared life and love of God. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit at work in us. It is this joy that guards and strengthens us in the face of every trial and trouble. The Joy that flows from Spirit is not what we feel when we accomplish something and get the praise of others; it is peace and confidence when our best plans go wrong, when we experience the ridicule and criticism of others.Already in this season, we anticipate the joy of Easter. This is no time for gloomy and reluctant disciplines that make us miserable, but a season when we endure with joy the things that will lead us not to just one Easter day, but a life time, and an eternity of Easter glory.
