A Resentful Elder Brother

LK 15 Easter Meditation

Thur, Second week of Lent

Curse are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength... Jer 17:5

HN comments:

The elder brother in the paracle did the objectively good thing and might have been praised for being the "good one" because he faithfully stayed home to support his old father.
But he ends up being just as lost spiritually as the younger brother who ran off and squandered his fortune. The elder son is lost in a very different way than his brother. The elder brother is not free in his relationship wit the father because he is bound by resentment.
Resentment is probably one of the most pervasive evils of our time. It is something that is very real, very pernicious, and very, very destructive.
You and I are free from it.
Resentment is precisely the pitfall of faithful, obedient, hardworking people who do the right thing. That's why it is so important to talk about it.
We may be good people, trying to live the right way on our particular life journey, perhaps even giving our lives for others.
Obviously we may have reason to be praised. But each of us might examine how our lives and relationship are wounded because of unresolved resentment buried in our hearts.
  • What is my deep buried resentment?
  • Why God is so persistent and going out to the elder brother who is so good?
  • How Jesus is telling the three most beautiful parables to the elder brothers even though they are so resentful and trying to kill him?
  • Is this Jesus speaking the truth in love?


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