That’s A Wrap | March 6, 2016

March 6, 2016

Most of my friends and acquaintances do not know that I was an aspiring actress in High School and was actually in a movie once. It was one of those ever-popular Television Mini-Series in the early 80’s called SPACE starring James Garner. I was an extra in the scene where the German scientists, that had been brought to America to do super smart space stuff, were being reunited with their families flying in from Germany. Our direction was to pick a mom and dad out of the other extras present and then your movie mom and you would get onto one of those huge C-130 cargo planes. When “action” was called the plane door would drop down and we were to run to our movie dad/husband as if we had not seen him in months with embracing, kissing, crying, smiling, and the whole nine yards.  I felt pretty qualified for this and was confident in my skills of, well, being dramatic (no comments from the peanut gallery).

I heard the word action and movie mom and I grabbed hands and started running but you know what, I forgot what movie dad looked like since I only met him once for a brief moment…oh crap! Next thing I knew my looking for him in a crowd of strangers became genuine and real. Where was he? Where are you father? Good thing movie mom had a better memory than I did, because movie daughter was lost and clueless. Guess what happened next? Movie dad found us and he immediately scooped me up into his arms and kissed me on the cheek and began speaking to me in German! Yes, movie dad was a real German dude! I remember feeling a little overwhelmed in that moment and unexpectedly emotional. To have someone scoop you up into his arms (he was about 6’5”) was a powerful experience. Of course the lot of us did not get it right in the first take, or the second, and I’m going to go ahead and throw out a number like 25 takes later, I heard my first “That’s a wrap!” ever. After our first take, however, I had no problem finding movie dad especially since he was the tallest and only real German dude there, but as I became even more familiar with his movie embrace after each take, I became ever more overwhelmed with the power of the embrace every single time. It never felt less than that first unfamiliar time, in fact, the more I knew his embrace the more able I was to return it with growing tenderness each time. Of course this is all as actor and actress but I could now recognize his voice, his movie kisses on my cheek became less awkward with each take, I remembered his cologne, and by this time movie mom and I were like besties.

I know…get to the point, Jen!! Today’s gospel is the Prodigal Son and we are often encouraged to put ourselves into the shoes of one of the three characters. I’ve meditated and reflected on each one and can definitely relate to them in various ways as I’m sure you can as well. Today it occurred to me that the story of the prodigal was a one time deal, but we don’t necessarily get it right after one take and there are multiple times in our lives when we find ourselves running toward God after someone yells, “action!” The beauty of that is with each take we become more familiar, more intimate, more consumed, more able to be scooped up and just be held. We don’t need to worry about not recognizing Him in a crowd because He finds us every time; in fact, He never takes His eyes off of us.

Today I connect to the reality that the story of the prodigal is not a one-time event and only “a wrap” when we are wrapped in the arms of God’s endless mercy. Get to know His voice, His embrace, His fragrance, His kiss, His eyes, and be scooped up over and over again because when you are lost, He will find you. Have a blessed day.

Reading 1 JOS 5:9A, 10-12

The LORD said to Joshua, 
“Today I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you.”

While the Israelites were encamped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, 
they celebrated the Passover
on the evening of the fourteenth of the month.
On the day after the Passover,
they ate of the produce of the land 
in the form of unleavened cakes and parched grain.
On that same day after the Passover, 
on which they ate of the produce of the land, the manna ceased.
No longer was there manna for the Israelites, 
who that year ate of the yield of the land of Canaan.

Responsorial Psalm PS 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R. (9a) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Reading 2 2 COR 5:17-21

Brothers and sisters:
Whoever is in Christ is a new creation:
the old things have passed away;
behold, new things have come.
And all this is from God,
who has reconciled us to himself through Christ 
and given us the ministry of reconciliation, 
namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, 
not counting their trespasses against them 
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
So we are ambassadors for Christ,
as if God were appealing through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Verse Before The Gospel LK 15:18

I will get up and go to my Father and shall say to him:
Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

Gospel LK 15:1-3, 11-32

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So to them Jesus addressed this parable:
“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’
So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings
and set off to a distant country
where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
‘How many of my father’s hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’
So he got up and went back to his father.
While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.’
But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.’
Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him,
‘Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.’
He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply,
‘Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.
But when your son returns
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’
He said to him,
‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.’”