How long ago was it that I left for the bright lights of the city (Hippos) just across the lake from home (Capernaum)? I was a little headstrong when I asked for my inheritance. I knew that in a cashless society that would mean having to sell some land - the south forty as we used to call it back in Wray, Colorado - that is my father would give the land to me. I thought that someone would buy the land - fire sale prices would make that an easy sell - and I would be on my way to the longed dreamed about time of my life! A pocket full of money always makes a dream bigger and the anticipation much stronger.
A days journey around the top of the Sea of Galilee and I will be in heaven - maybe a two day journey but it will feel like freedom and who cares how long the journey will take? I'm I'm away from home, away from big brother, away from responsibilities, away from that small town spirit - the big city!
Hippos - the city set on a hill. I have heard the sounds as long as I can remember. I have seen the fires at night time and have wondered what it must be like to dance around one of those fires, hearing the music, looking at the other young people and sensing the fun they were having. Its only about 8 miles across the lake and sound travels really well when the winds are from the east. Hippos, I'm on my way and I have a pocket full of money - I hope you are ready!!!
Capernaum - you will be easily forgotten. You are Jewish in every respect. The synagogue dominated our lives. Every day we were reminded that we were a special people set aside to worship and to claim our inheritance as God's people.. With a pocket full of cash who needs to be reminded of God anyway? Caperham the daily jobs needed to survive, your stay at home kind of people, your far from real life dusty streets, you will easily be forgotten - I've got a pocket full of cash!
How long does it take to go through a pocket full of cash - especially when new friends find out about the cash? It seems like only yesterday that I started on this trip. Am I broke already? There must be some kind of job in Hippos that I can do. A country kid from Caperham should be able to compete with these cities guys. Where to look to sustain the pleasures for the last few months? At last a job - if feeding pigs is a job, but I can survive in the big city with even a pig job. But, the rent comes due, food is hard to come bye and pig smell is not too attractive and besides my people have never herded pigs so I'm an absolute novice!
Maybe I can go back home and asked if I could become hired hand on my fathers farm, of course my older brother is probably still at home - he hasn't seen a bright light in his whole life - but I can work around that. Its only a couple of days walk back home but I wonder if home is still there for me. I really offended dad and the whole village when I sold my(?) part of the farm. When the pockets are empty of cash, things really look different !!.
Now, I sit at a banquet, the people of the whole village are licking their fingers from the fatted calf, they are dancing, and I am here at the head of the table with my fathers robe over my shoulders, the family signet ring is on my finger, my sore feet are in my fathers sandals and I cannot even eat more than a small morsel of bread. My body is so wasted that I cannot even join in the feast! But, I am home. Home has never felt so good! Even the man who bought my (?) part of the farm has greeted me, old friends whom I called stupid and lazy, even they have greeted and honored me - what a price my father has paid in letting me sit in his place at this banquet! But, I'm home - is there any place like home? Any place whose "lights" are brighter, whose friendship embrace you - anyway?
Helmut Thielicke in his book THE WAITING FATHER wrote p.29 "Wherever forgiveness is proclaimed there is joy and festive garments. We must read and hear this gospel story as it was rally meant to be: good news!"
Welcome home - and a truly happy thanksgiving banquet....
Bill
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