Pr. Michael Coffey (1st English Lutheran Church, Austin TX) calls the prodigal son story the parable of the party. The texts for Lent 4c might be labeled in the same way even if the ecclesiological party word (it begins and ends with an A) has been put away for forty days. But then in the same way that the ultimate party (it begins with an R) follows death the preparation for all the Lent 4c parties begin with something that is put away for awhile until "surprise" there is a cause for celebration. Joshua presides over the end of the manna "what is it?" diet and the wandering people enjoy the produce of a promised land. The psalmist wasting away in silence finally speaks up and out of confession comes glad cries of deliverance. The apostle Paul proclaims good news to the Corinthians stuck in old ways that in the Christ they are a new creation and so is everyone else. And both of the lost boys in the parable of the party are gifted with a father who says, "everything I have is yours - always was, always will be. " Party on. Excellent.
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