Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance;
Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency,
And will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt?
You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins....
I like to reflect upon the freedom the Lord so freely gives us. As I recalled the story of the Patriarch Joseph and his protege of several centuries later, King David of Bethlehem, I remembered how these gentlemen took charge and led: Joseph, of his brothers; and David, of his army and kingdom.
David the warrior, in particular, committed some horrendous, shocking sins. His impulsiveness drove him to it. But when confronted he owned it and did penance. In fact, the poet David, author of Psalm 51, if he didn't invent the virtue of penance, he copyrighted it.
Both men enjoyed the particular privilege of dying of old age in their own beds, surrounded by loved friends and family -- seemingly a rare privilege among the powerful. Obedient to the Law of God and sensitive to the will of God as the Spirit directed them, they enjoyed responsibilities and freedoms not granted to those who worship lesser gods.
In their stories, and in that of Jesus and innumerable saints, we discover God's happiness. We heard today, the Lord delights in clemency. And Psalm 149 insists, "He takes delight in his people."
The Book of Deuteronomy describes the harvest tithe that faithful Israelites should offer to God. Jews and Christians generally regard that ten percent as the standard donation of our wealth to God. Many people, having learned the wisdom of this discipline, insist they cannot afford not to give their tithe.
Until my recent reading of Deuteronomy, I didn't realize where the tithe went. In Deuteronomy it went to the joyful banquet the people should celebrate periodically in the presence of the Lord. God wanted them to be happy, especially with each other. There were always aliens and pagans in the land; the people of God should come apart often to enjoy their peculiar identity as God's free, blessed, and happy people.
So we have to notice the happiness of the father in today's parable. How else could he celebrate the return of his lost son except with a party. As a faithful Hebrew he delights in the return of this boy from the dead. As a type of Jesus' Father, he welcomes the Son home with exceeding joy. He must kill the fattened calf, which had been set aside for God.
Our God freely bestows blessings upon his people. They are superabundant and endless. For that reason, God's people must practice the same freedom in generosity to others. Freedom will never mean doing whatever you want to do; only a child would think such nonsense. Freedom is being like God, giving freely, passionately, joyously, with the assurance there is more where that came from.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.