Deacon Tom Writes,
“The More Things Change, the More They Remain the Same”
Inflation and the Widening Gap
There is much commentary today about the vanishing middle class and the increasing numbers of people left behind in our new economy. People are suffering.
Some of the reasons for this are decades in the making: the rising cost of college education coupled with low paying jobs with no benefits, high cost of child care, job seekers’ difficulty in finding quality full-time employment, and the increasing numbers of companies outsourcing jobs to save a buck. There’s also the lack of adequate training for the highly skilled tech jobs, and the college-push stigma placed on the trades for the past three decades.
All that was happening prior to Covid. Post-Covid shutdowns, supply chain gaps and price gouging sent even more workers and small businesses over the edge. Now, we’re experiencing inflation amid a Cold War-style military buildup and showdown with Russia.
Any one of these things would be enough to strain the economy and cause fear, but today, we see a combination of these factors at work. People are working multiple jobs to provide for the basic need of their family. During and post Covid, many couldn’t work at all. The ones who did worked the front lines to keep everyone else fed, taught, and cared for—all at great risk and for little or no reward.
“It’s not fair.”
People are angry. It’s easy to see why. Many haven’t been getting their “fair share” for a long time and it’s polarizing our communities. There’s a spirit of bitterness, resentment and even hatred festering in the hearts of many people. Politicians and the media never pass up a chance to capitalize on that to create a viral headline. The result is that we’re steeped in negativity all the time. That makes it easy to get caught up in the unfairness of life instead of thinking about solutions.
The more things change, the more they stay the same…
It may seem like we’re in unique times—that the world is falling apart--but the truth is, every generation has had its catastrophes, and it’s never fair. As I read today’s Gospel in light of today’s events, I feel the old saying is true, “The more things change, the more things remain the same.”
The older brother in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son was very much like many of us—hard working and angry he wasn’t getting his fair share. He spent his life doing what he was supposed to do. He stayed at home, worked the farm, and took on additional responsibilities because his brother left to “live the dream.”
When the younger brother returned, the older brother expected his father to be angry. He needed his father to be angry in order to validate his own hard work.
Instead, the father welcomed the younger brother back. The older brother was resentful. He served his father faithfully. He put in the work while his younger brother abandoned the family with no apparent consequence. Even worse, the brother seemed to be rewarded for his bad behavior—he got to keep his inheritance and the father ordered a feast.
Most of us today identify and sympathize with the older brother as we do the right thing day after day and feel overlooked. It’s tough to see the justice in this Gospel reading, just like it’s nearly impossible to see the justice in many areas of society today.
Let’s take a deeper look.
On our first reading of this parable, the older brother is the hero, and we want the younger brother punished—that’s the justice we want to see.
If I look at this reading again, and turn away from the rational me and instead turn the lens inward, I see the many times I’ve needed—and been granted—forgiveness. Then, I ask myself, “Why shouldn’t he receive forgiveness, too?” The hero becomes the father who is able to open his heart, unconditionally.
That’s the true beauty of this reading and the actionable lesson for today.
God sees our bad behavior and still welcomes us back when we come to our senses. He has unconditional love. He does not “count our trespasses against us.”
The younger son receives forgiveness, but the older brother needs it, too--for failing to open his own heart and recognize his father’s need to stand by his son who made a mistake and was contrite enough to admit it.
I wish I knew the end of the story. We never know if the older son joined the banquet, shook hands and forgave his brother, or if he lived a life of anger and resentment. We may not know the end of this story—but we can write our own end by improving our skills of forgiveness.
Why forgive?
Jesus calls us to forgive, not once, but “seventy times seven times” according to St. Matthew (Mt 18:22). It’s a very clear direction—not a suggestion. It’s difficult to do and often doesn’t seem logical. To do it right, we have to do it often. “Practice makes perfect,” as they say.
Forgiveness is often misunderstood as an invitation to become a doormat.
It’s the opposite. It’s strength. And, it’s a gift to ourselves, too. When we forgive, we think we’re giving grace to another, but we’re really doing it for ourselves. In recognizing the humanness of another--letting a situation go—we’re really being compassionate with ourselves. Forgiveness frees us from negativity, anger, hate, and resentment.
If the brother had just seen that—that forgiveness was for him, too—he would’ve saved himself a whole lot of anger.
We can give ourselves that gift, too.
In these difficult times when everyone’s tempted to “blame, flame, and maim” let’s do the opposite. This Lenten season, I challenge you to extend God’s grace in all directions— through the practice of forgiveness.
Think of even just one thing you can let go, and see how it frees you, too.
Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom
Recommended Reading: The Return of the Prodigal Son – A Story of Homecoming by Henri J.M. Nouwen. He was a Dutch Catholic priest, professor, writer and theologian. After nearly two decades of teaching at academic institutions including the University of Notre Dame, Yale Divinity School and Harvard Divinity School, Nouwen went on to work with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities at the L'Arche Daybreak community in Richmond Hill, Ontario.
Podcast: Busted Halo with Fr. Dave Dwyer (A production of the Paulist Fathers).
Busted Halo is a unique media resource that utilizes a relevant and accessible voice to help people understand the Catholic faith, put it into practice in their everyday lives, and share it with others.
Our vision is for a more joyful and meaningful experience of Catholicism that positively impacts people’s lives. At Busted Halo, we aim to bring the joy of the Gospel to all people in innovative and creative ways.
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