Lenten Series: Taking the Long and Maundy Route

I've always wondered what "Maundy" meant.  Yesterday, my son asked me why Maundy Thursday was called such.  My response was a blank stare and a mental note to myself to finally look it up.

This is what (Online) Merriam-Webster gave me:

Origin of maundy

Middle English maunde, from Old French mandé, from Latin mandatum command, order; from the words spoken by Jesus to his disciples after washing their feet at the Last Supper, “a new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another” (John 13:34 Authorized Version).

Now that we've got that sorted out, let's move on to what I learned from yesterday's recollection held at St. Paul's convent in Pasay.  The speaker, Fr. Rey (I forget his family name), from the Society of St. Paul, chose to dissect the story of The Prodigal Son.

Quick Summary
There was a man with two sons.  The youngest asked his father for his inheritance.  The father, without a word of protest, gave his youngest son his share.  This son goes on to leave his home to spend his inheritance, living lavishly in another country.  A great famine broke out in that country and the youngest son was soon out of money.  He had no choice but to work at a swine place.  In his desolation and hunger, he remembered his life in his father's house and how even the servants are well-fed.  He resolved to go back home, ask forgiveness, and become a servant to his father.  While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and ran to meet him.  The father welcomed his son with a warm hug, a ring on his finger, lavish clothes and a huge party - with the fattened cow as main attraction.
When the eldest son came back home, after toiling in the fields, he heard the merriment and found out that it was for his younger brother who came back.  Naturally, he felt bad and refused to go in.  But his father came out to talk to him, explained everything and urged him to join the celebration.

We don't know if the eldest went in.  It's an open-ended story.   Fr. Rey says it's up to us to fill in the ending.  He also says that we have, in one way or another, played the role of all three characters.

The Characters
The Youngest Son
He is young; wants the most out of life; lives for the moment; rash or impulsive.  Some would think him selfish and stubborn.  BUT he is also humble, ready to accept his mistakes, ask forgiveness and willing to work his way back to his father's graces.

The Eldest Son
He is more mature; has foresight; responsible; obedient; hardworking; faithful.  Some would think him too quiet, unassertive, accepting everything until he just boils over (pa-martyr, in other words).  BUT he also exhibited the most love for their father, even getting hurt and angry at his brother for the pain his father went through.  He is also in need of love he is afraid to ask.  He never asked for anything. ("Son, you are always with me and everything I have is yours" ... all you have to do is ask).

The Father - the epitome of God the Father

Loving. He loved both his sons consistently and constantly albeit very differently - according to each son's language of love.

Wise.  He knew that his youngest son is stubborn and talking him out of his plans would only agitate him, so he allowed his son to go through the long and maundy (allowing his son to learn in his own terms is the hardest, most heartbreaking, but, also, most loving thing the father could do) route.

" ... Sometimes it's necessary to go a long distance out of the way in order to come back a short distance correctly." (Edward Albee, The Zoo Story).

"One must first come around to asking a basic question before there can ever be a change in basic answers." (Robert L. Short, The Parables of Peanuts)

Patient.  He let his son go, allowing him as much time he needed to learn everything he had to learn from the entire experience.  Truly experience is the best teacher.

Expectant.  Note, that he saw his son coming from a long way away.  This means, that he had been expecting his son to come back home.  He was probably waiting and looking out for him everyday.  This shows: (1) how well he knew his son; and (2) his faith at his son's capacity for a change of heart.

Forgiving.  At the end of the day, no matter how much his son hurt him (Read: Asking for inheritance while he was still alive; wasting and losing all that hard-earned money; the gull to come back!), he forgave him.  In fact, he forgave him the minute he decided to give that inheritance.

Reconciling.  He went out of the house to reason with his elder son because, above all else, he wants the brothers to be reconciled and loving each other.

I find, that I have been a mixture of both brothers - stubbornly working on my plans in my own terms, following (forcing) my timing; while, at the same time, lacking in conviction that I am God's child, afraid (or, perhaps, too proud) to ask from His vast reserves of blessings and graces.  I have been taking the long and maundy route.  Hopefully, I would find my way back the short distance correctly by asking - with expectant faith - for His graces (and blessings!).

As a mother, I hope and pray for the courage to parent my son the way the father did - especially in terms of less talk and allowing him more freedom to experience life and learn from it on his own terms and timing.