That's A Wrap - September 11, 2016

September 11, 2016

This is a re-post from March 6, 2016, so you may or may not have already read it. I hope you don't mind me recycling this reflection. After re-reading it, I think it still applies to where my heart is and perhaps you might also find something new in it today. 

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 EX 32:7-11, 13-14

The LORD said to Moses,
“Go down at once to your people,
whom you brought out of the land of Egypt,
for they have become depraved. 
They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them,
making for themselves a molten calf and worshiping it,
sacrificing to it and crying out,
‘This is your God, O Israel,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’
“I see how stiff-necked this people is, ” continued the LORD to Moses.
Let me alone, then,
that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them. 
Then I will make of you a great nation.”

But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying,
“Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people,
whom you brought out of the land of Egypt
with such great power and with so strong a hand? 
Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,
and how you swore to them by your own self, saying,
‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky;
and all this land that I promised,
I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.’” 
So the LORD relented in the punishment
he had threatened to inflict on his people.

Responsorial Psalm PS 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19

R. (Lk 15:18) I will rise and go to my father.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. I will rise and go to my father.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. I will rise and go to my father.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. I will rise and go to my father.

Reading 2 1 TM 1:12-17

Beloved:
I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord,
because he considered me trustworthy
in appointing me to the ministry. 
I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and arrogant,
but I have been mercifully treated
because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief. 
Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant,
along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 
This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance:
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 
Of these I am the foremost. 
But for that reason I was mercifully treated,
so that in me, as the foremost,
Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example
for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life. 
To the king of ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God,
honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Alleluia 2 COR 5:19

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 15:1-32

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 he addressed this parable.
“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert
and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it,
he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
I tell you, in just the same way
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.

“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors
and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’
In just the same way, I tell you,
there will be rejoicing among the angels of God
over one sinner who repents.”

Then he said, 
“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.’”