Faith and families, at their best
A Thanksgiving reflection on images and words that remind us of love (Luke 15:22-24)
In last week’s reflection on the The Parable of the Prodigal Son, I focused on the father’s longing for his younger son’s return, and his emotional embrace of the son as he approached the father’s house. The father was overwhelmed with joy, and I wondered how we might feel if a son or daughter, who we thought was gone from our lives, had returned to us.
After the embrace, the younger son offers his words of contrition, and the father demonstrates his elation with gifts and a message:
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15:22-24)
The father instructs his servants to clothe his son, place a ring on his hand, put shoes on his feet, and feed him. And in dramatic terms, he expresses what has happened: his son was dead and is now alive, he was once lost, and now he is found. The son is valued mightily by the father.
I found the beautiful imagery and words by the father to be powerful symbols of what family — and faith — might mean to a person.
The father brings out the “best” robe, a piece of valuable and extravagant clothing. Like our best china or silver used for an important family meal, or that rare bottle of wine for an auspicious occasion, it’s the robe reserved for the most special of events. And think about your best and favorite piece of clothing, how it makes you feel, and how it provides a pleasing sense of satisfaction, warmth, and comfort. At their best, our families and faith envelop us in feelings of peace and contentment.
A ring symbolizes a bond between people or the recognition of a significant event. The father’s gift symbolizes the re-union of the family, not unlike the many symbols and rituals representing our faithful (and often re-established) covenant with God.
Shoes offer protection and stability from the dusty, rocky, or muddy ground. Families can offer a feeling of protection and safe-keeping to their members. Our faith can offer a defense, a firm foothold, as we walk amidst the seeming senselessness of the world.
Food offers nourishment and sustenance. Families sustain us and replenish us with love and connection. Our faith sustains us; Jesus is the “bread of life.”
Finally, the father tells the son – he communicates – how important the son is to the family. Families, at their best, communicate love toward one another. And we know through the Bible we are part of God’s family and are loved by Him.
If you were reunited with a distant or estranged family member, what kind of special event would you host, what family treasures would you bring out, or what gifts might you offer, to mark the occasion? As you approach this Thanksgiving week, who in your family needs to hear that they are important, that they are alive to you, that they are found by you?