Context 
In all the upheaval of Brexit, whether remain or leave, one of the most striking aspects of the events is the sense of loss. Lots has been lost. In Parliament there are lost votes, lost party members, lost jobs, lost plans, lost time. In the wider society people have lost friends, lost patience and, perhaps most significantly, lost trust.
And, of course it’s not just Brexit that signifies loss.
Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique faces unimaginable loss.
The recent shootings in New Zealand propelled a whole community to have to face the loss of friends and loved ones.
And in the UK a small tragedy is unfolding as authorities face up to the fact that they are ‘losing’ children in the care system.
Whether it’s the car keys, a game of football or a meaningful vote, loss is a present reality of a life lived.
Reflection
In the Gospel reading this week we watch a story of loss unfold. A father loses a son, a son loses his money and self-respect, and another son loses his cool. The story of the ‘prodigal’ charts the losses experienced by one family. And despite the fact this story is over 2000 years old, anyone who has any experience of family life or close human relationships will recognise the complex emotions that loss inspires. An unreasonable demand made by the son leads to a painful admission for a parent: that a child cared for and loved now seeks to assert themselves, despite the suffering that inflicts on others. As the beloved son later sits among the pigs and wrestles with all he has lost we might be reflecting on our own choices and the consequences and losses that a series of decisions can result in. And even when lost people return, their arrival doesn’t necessarily bring things back into balance; rather the lost time must be processed and dealt with before a new harmony can be established.
Loss is a present reality of a life lived whether 2000 years ago or in the present day.
But this Gospel story does not allow loss to have the last word. The father reminds the son who stayed that to remain was to receive, ultimately to be given everything the father owns. The son who returns, although sad and defeated, is no longer lost but found, and that change in status is a reason for celebration. The emphasis at the end of this story is actually on gain: all that we receive when we stay close or come back to the father. Like the events that we witness nationally or internationally, there are very real losses and very real emotions woven into this Gospel story that shouldn’t be downgraded or glossed over. But the story opens up the possibility for all of us, amid life’s tapestry of loss, to gain something truly precious: the powerful love and forgiveness of our heavenly father.
As our nation wrestles with the complications of loss via Brexit, or looks out at a world ravaged by losses, or deals with the personal complications of loss, the Gospel offers another perspective: the possibility of ongoing gain, love that remains whatever our circumstances, however many losses we’ve racked up, love that is never lost, always found.
Prayer
Give each person a blank piece of paper and a pen. Ask them to choose one of the letters from the word FOUND and write it on the paper. Read out the short acrostic prayer below, asking people to listen for the line that begins with the letter they chose. Invite them to reflect on the sentiment of that line in particular, and to draw/doodle/write something that reflects their thoughts.
Father God, we thank you for your constant love for us.
Our lives are seen and known to you,
Uniquely loved,
Never lost, just found.
Draw near to us, Lord. we pray.
Amen.
Questions
- What have you lost recently?
- As a Christian, what have you gained?
- Which part of the story has the biggest impact on you and why?
All-age activity
Gather together a range of the following items: some keys, Lego™ pieces, a pair of glasses, a bus pass, a mobile phone, some loose change, a watch, some batteries, a diary, a wallet, one glove, one shoe, small cuddly toy, jigsaw pieces. Show the items you have collected one-by-one to the congregation as if you are doing a sales job on them– e.g. ‘here we have a lovely small piece of yellow Lego. It’s a two-by-two brick and may have once been part of a much larger set…’. Once you’ve revealed all of the items, invite the congregation, working in small groups, to discuss which similar items they have lost at some point. Ask people to explain how they felt when they found a lost item.
Young people
Lead a guided reflection on the Gospel story. Invite the young people to lie on the floor and close their eyes. Ask them to imagine that they are the young man from the story, and now they are sitting alone looking at pigs in a pen and wondering how they got there. Ask them to imagine the details of the scene – the sounds, the smells, and their emotions as they sit there. Ask them to think about the events that led to this point. What have you lost through the decisions you have made? How has it affected you? After a reasonable length of time to ponder these things, move the story on to the point where the prodigal returns home and is seen by the father. What do you look – and smell – like as you approach? How does your father recognise you? How does he greet you? He treats you very well indeed – how does that make you feel?
Once you have finished the reflection, discuss the story with the group, inviting them to say what they think of the different characters and themes.
Fiona Dorman is education officer at Bristol Cathedral and a freelance education consultant.
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