Small, Yet Prodigal

 Russian President Putin has led an assault on Ukraine for nearly a month; sacrificing Russian soldiers in an attempt to satisfy his own greed. Ukrainian men and women are putting up a strong defense and NATO countries are united in their effort to support Ukraine without engaging in anything that could be perceived as a direct attack against Russia. NATO countries are trying to avoid a wide scale war while protecting the European Union. The news media floods our screens with images of people fleeing Ukraine.  Images of Poland and other nearby countries taking in refugees are part of the daily news reports. The United States will receive 100,000 refugees. 

One of my seminary classmates, Markus, was born in Germany, came to the US as a Fulbright scholar, attended seminary with me to become an Episcopal priest, and  has served parishes in Chicago, British Columbia, and now Scotland. Recently Markus accepted an invitation to help resettle some people fleeing from Ukraine. He flew from Scotland to Poland, rented a van and drove to the border where he picked up two families. He drove them from the border to family members waiting for them in Berlin. He made it quite clear that he no hero here. He was always safe. He had a hotel room to stay in, food, and transportation. The families he transported would have made it to Berlin without him, he just saved them a few more days of travel. These families had been on the road for 4 days, traveling only a  hundred miles a day because of the danger of the war. They were tired. They had left virtually everything behind. They will probably never get any of it back. But they will be safe. This is not always the case for people fleeing a war torn country, looking for refuge someplace safer. 

Markus said that as he was driving he remembered a song from his youth, in English its words are: Many little people in many small places who take many small steps, can change the world. We’ll hear this song sung in German in a few minutes. 

The song connects us to our scripture readings this morning, and the focus of Lent - how are we turning our hearts and minds to God? The Gospel reading is the parable of the father and his two sons, which is sometimes called the parable of prodigal son.  And sometimes it’s called the parable of the prodigal father. The son who is returning home disgraced but not repentant, and father who is welcoming home the disgraced son, despite the lack of repentance. The question we might ponder is, is anyone changed in this story?  I don’t think so. The younger son is not changed, he just comes home. The Father is not changed, he’s always been generous with his sons. The oldest son is not changed, he remains resentful. So, why did Jesus tell this story? Maybe because we don’t  know the outcome. Maybe they all changed? The younger took responsibility for actions and became more accountable. The older son took responsibility of his actions and became less resentful. The father held his sons accountable, requiring them to step up and be respectful, but he also continued to love them wholeheartedly. 

 Maybe this is what the story is saying to us - be mature, step up, be accountable, treat people with respect, and love generously. 

Jesus tells it as one part of three stories about being lost: the lost coin, the lost sheep, the lost sons. It’s a parable about human nature. We are all a little lost, and the season of Lent invites us to take an intentional look at how we are lost and what we need to do to turn back to God. God is always with us and delights in every effort we make to reveal God’s love in the world, no matter how small. 

The German word used in the song that is translated small, can mean a small person, like a child,  or it can mean an insignificant person. The question that arises for me is, how is that the small, seemingly insignificant things that we do, actually contribute to changing the world? 

I do believe this is the case.  That even seemingly small things impact the entire world. I do not know exactly how it works. Quantum physics is an emerging science that questions the human tendency to view everything as independent, autonomous, and separate. Yet Quantum physics is revealing to us how everything all of life, is inter-related.  Quantum physics describes the  transfer of energy across tiny particles, between people, between people and other creatures, between people, creatures, and the environment, and even the universe. Quantum physics offers an insight into how the Holy Spirit of God moves in and through all creation, activating God’s creative energy as she moves. 

Which raises more questions from our readings. Paul, in this second letter to the church Corinth, is describing to the people how their actions, their investment to live as God desires, will change them. They will become like a new creation, just as Jesus who was human, becomes a new person in the resurrection. God’s love, acting in and through us, changes us, and new life becomes possible. 

“Many little people 

in many small places

who take many little steps

can change the world.”

And our reading from Joshua, reminds us that while we may wander and feel lost and insignificant, as the ancient Hebrew people did, wandering  for forty years in the wilderness, God is actually present, and every little thing we do contributes to a greater whole, with the potential to change the world into a land of milk and honey, into the promised land. This image offered to the Hebrew people from Genesis to Deuteronomy and now the book of Joshua, is an image for all human kind. God is with us, leading us to health and wholeness, and every little think we do, brings God’s desire for life and love, into the world. 

van Gogh’s painting for this week from our meditation series, is the “Sower” a painting of a farmer planting crops. van Gogh, as I have said before, was deeply drawn to nature, and he felt compelled to paint no matter how much he suffered or struggled with life. He also felt a deep connection to Jesus and described Jesus as an artist who created with words.  This painting of the sower reminds us that we never fully know how many of  the seeds of love that we scatter into the world take root and grow, but we can be assured that some do. 

Four years ago we were discerning whether or not to bring Halim here as Curate. Three years ago we were preparing for the potential of a partnership between Christ Church and Mother of the Savior. Two years ago we were navigating that partnership with Baptized for Life suppers, until COVID shut us down. Last year we sold some land, a surprising twist in our story, and began to envision creative ways to live lives of meaning and purpose. Nine months ago the Vestry authorized the formation of the task force to explore an intercultural community center. And now we have a vibrant task force that meets monthly, has several working groups developing projects to address environmental concerns, food insecurity, create impactful diverse activities in school programming, develop environmental learning activities on elementary school playgrounds, and increase our summer concert series to include Arabic musicians, among other initiatives we are working. Then, in a parallel development, we are working with DAIN to raise fund to support newly arriving families from Afghanistan. So far, collectively between Christ Church, the diocese, and other churches in Dearborn, we have raised $5,000. 

All of this may seem like a lot that we are doing. Or, maybe it seems like a little given the magnitude of problems in the world. But all of it points to “Many little people, many little steps, many little places, can change the world.” We are changing the world. Of that there is no doubt.