قراءة في معاني أحد الابن الشاطر
جمع وأعداد/الياس بجاني
الصوم هو زمن التغيير والولادة الجديدة والرجوع إلى الجذور الإيمانية ومراجعة الذات والأفعال والتوبة وطلب المغفرة وعمل الكفارات. أن الله الذي هو أب رحوم وغفور ومحب قادر على تحويل كل شيء وتبديله فهو الذي حول الماء إلى خمر وهو إن طلبنا منه التوبة قادر على أن يحول عقولنا وضمائرنا من مسالك الخطيئة إلى الخير والمحبة والتقوى، وهو وقادر في الوقت عينه أن يمنحنا رؤية جديدة بقلب متجدد ينبض بالمحبة والحنان والإرادة الخيرة.
هذا الأب الذي تجسد وقبل الصلب والعذاب من اجل خلاصنا حول الأبرص صاحب الجسد المشوه إلى حالة السلامة والعافية وطهره ونقاه، وهو كذلك قادر أن يخلص وينقي النفوس الملطخة بالخطيئة إن طلبت التوبة بصدق وإيمان وثقة. بقدرته ومحبته أوقف نزف المرأة النازفة التي هي رمز كل نزيف أخلاقي وقيمي وروحي واجتماعي نعاني منه جميعاً أفراداً وجماعات وهو دائماً مستعد لقبول توبتنا ولاستقبالنا في بيته السماوي حيث لكل واحد منا منزل لم تشده أيدي إنسان وحيث لا حزن ولا تعب ولا خطيئة. تعلمنا الأناجيل أن الخلاص من الخطيئة والتفلت من براثنها لا يتم بغير التوبة والصلاة وعمل الكفارات وبالعودة إلى الله الذي هو محبة ونور. في الأحد الرابع من آحاد الصوم تحدثنا الكنيسة عن واقعة الولد الشاطر/الضال أو المبذر/الذي شطر أي اقتسم حصته من ميراث أبيه ومن ثم وقع في التجربة وغرق في أعمال السوء والملذات حتى أضاع كل شيء. وعندما أقفلت كل الأبواب في وجهه وعرف معنى الجوع والذل والغربة عاد إلى أبيه طالباً السماح والغفران. من هذه الواقعة الإنجيلية نستخلص مفاهيم ومعاني الخطيئة والتجربة والضياع الأخلاقي والإيماني وكذلك التوبة والمصالحة وثمارها.
القراءة في المثال أعلاه
جوهر الخطيئة والميراث والعطايا
الخطيئة تبدأ بالتعلق بخيرات الله من إرث ومال وسلطة وثقافة ومعرفة وقوة وجمال وذكاء ونسيانه. ننسى أن الله هو الذي أعطانا كل ما نملك وكل ما على الأرض وفي السماء وفي البحار. ننسى الله ونعبد خيراته فنقع في الخطيئة. الابن الضال أصر على أخذ الميراث وعلى ترك العائلة وترك الوطن والحقول والناس وقرر الابتعاد والذهاب إلى عالم آخر(عالم الشيطان) حيث لا قيود ولا شروط أي حرية فالتة وحيث الملذات. كسر الشراكة مع الأب الذي هو الله وخرج من دائرة الحياة معه ودخل دائرة الخطيئة لأن الابتعاد عن الله هو ابتعاد عن النور والدخول في الظلام والتوقف عن ممارسة فرائض العبادة والصلاة. إن جوهر الخطيئة هو التعلق بالذات وبمقتنيات الأرض والأشخاص والمال والعلم والثقافة والابتعاد عن الله، والمشكلة تتكون عندما تصبح عطايا الله آلهة نعبدها وننسى من هو العاطي. الأنانية المفرطة
في هذه الحالة تصبح الذات (الأنا) محور كل حياة وفكر الإنسان فينسى الأساس ويكسر الشركة مع الله الابتعاد/الخروج من البيت
كسر الشراكة يقوده إلى الابتعاد عن الوصايا والإنجيل والقداديس والأسرار والوقوع في شراك الخطيئة التي هي موت. كسر الشراكة مع الجماعة
الابتعاد هو الخروج من الكنيسة التي هو عضو فيها وكسر الشراكة معها. الخطيئة تخرج الإنسان من هذه الشراكة التي تؤمن الحياة والفرح والسلام والدفء العيش على الأهواء الذاتية
التفلت من الشرائع وكسر الشراكة والابتعاد عن الله وعبادة عطاياه توقع الإنسان في الخطيئة الخطيئة تنتج الفقر الروحي/الجوع والعوز
الابن ابتعد عن الله، استهتر به مارس التبذير وأعمال السوء، عاشر الخطيئة ودخل عالمهم وتفلت من الإيمان والقيم الروحية والضوابط ومن كل أواصر العائلة والمسؤولية. تحجر قلبه وقتلت العاطفة ومعها الأحاسيس بداخله. حياة الذل
حياة الذل هذه نتيجة الفقر القيمي والأخلاقي والإيماني والغربة عن الله وبسبب الابتعاد عن تعاليمه وشرائعه. فقد الابن الشاطر كرامته الشخصية وعمل مع الخنازير وكان يتمنى أن يأكل ما يقدم لها. وعندما نعلم أن الشريعة اليهودية تعتبر الخنزير نجس ورمزاً لها ندرك وضعية الذل التي وصل إليها هذا الابن الذي ضل وانحرف وكسر الشراكة مع أبيه الله وترك العنان لشهواته. التوبة الندامة والأسف والتواضع الرجولة في اتخاذ القرار
التوبة تبدأ بالوقفة الوجدانية وبعملية فحص الضمير المستنير، والضمير هو صوت الله بداخل كل إنسان. لقد عاد إلى نفسه وعاد بذاكرته إلى بيت أبيه فعرف أنه أخطئ ولم يحسن التصرف ولا التقدير فأخذ مما أصابه عبرة وقرر التوبة والندم على ما فعل والعودة إلى بيت أبيه ليستغفره ويطلب الصفح منه. تخلى عن كبريائه وتعجرفه وأنانيته وقال سأعود وسأعمل أجيراً في بيت والدي إن هو غفر لي وقبل عودتي واعترف بذنوبي وأقول له يا أبتي أنا أخطئت وأهنتك ولا استحق أن ادعى ولدك. وقام راجعاً إلى بيته وهذا هو عمل الرجوع عن الخطيئة بعد الاعتراف بذنب ارتكابها وتغيير المسار الذي أوصله إليها. اعترف الابن واقر بالخطيئة التي هي استكبار وإساءة لله وكسر لتعاليمه ووصاياه وصمم على التوبة أي العودة إلى الله. الخطيئة ترتكب بالقول والفعل والفكر والإهمال. الرجولة تكمن في اتخاذ قرارات التوبة والندامة والعودة إلى شريعة الله وطلب الغفران ومن ثم عمل الكفارات. معاني أحداث الواقعة
المصالحة مع الله/تمت من خلال العودة
رجوع الابن إلى أبيه هي عودة للشراكة ولحالة الاتصال مع الله، الله برره وغفر له حين رجع إليه.
لقاء الأب العاطفي/الله ينتظر عودة كل ضال بفرح ويقبل توبة من يسعى إليها
قول الأب كان ميتاً وعاد إلى الحياة/كان ميتاً بالخطيئة وعاد إلى الفضيلة فعادت له الحياة الأبدية
الخاتم والحلة الفاخرة/رمز تجديد عهد أبوة الله مع الإنسان الذي كسر بفك الشراكة
الصندل (الحذاء)/هو الطريق الجديدة ليخرج للعمل المكلف به
العجل المثمن/هو مائدة القربان/مائدة الرب/رمز للفرحة والاحتفال
موقف الأخ الكبير/العناد وعدم القدرة الذاتية على فعل الغفران
The Lost Son Parable and Repentance
Elias Bejjani
March 08/15
Lent is a prime time for spiritual change through genuine praying, serious and in depth self-examination, return to the roots of faith, repentance and forgiveness. Almighty God is ready and always willing to turn everything around and take the hands of those who seriously and honestly pursue His mercy with perseverance forgiveness and repentance. He, with love and extreme happiness leads their steps towards all virtues of righteousness. He who in the Cana Wedding changed the water into wine and cleaned the Leper is willing all the time also to transform our minds and consciences from wickedness to goodness and salvation if and when we call for His help.
In our Maronite Catholic Church’s rite, on the Fourth Lent Sunday we recall and cite the biblical Lost Son’s parable that is known also as The Prodigal Son. This impulsive, selfish and thoughtless son, as the parable tells us, fell prey to evil’s temptation and decided to take his share of his father’s inheritance and leave the parental dwelling.
He travelled to a far-away city where he indulged badly in all evil conducts of pleasure and corruption until he lost all his money and became penniless. He experienced severe poverty, starvation, humiliation and loneliness. In the midst of his dire hardships he felt nostalgic, came back to his senses and decided with great self confidence to return back to his father’s house, kneel on his feet and ask him for forgiveness. On his return his loving and kind father received him with rejoice, open arms, accepted his repentance, and happily forgave him all his misdeeds. Because of his sincere repentance his Father gave him back all his privileges as a son.
The Lost (prodigal) Son’s parable: Luke15/11-32: He said, “A certain man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ He divided his livelihood between them. Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. 15:17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants .”’ “He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate; for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ They began to celebrate. “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the servants to him, and asked what was going on. He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’ But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him. But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 15:30 But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.
This parable is a road map for repentance and forgiveness. It shows us how much Almighty God our Father loves us, we His children and how He is always ready with open arms and willing to forgive our sins and trespasses when we come back to our senses, recognize right from wrong, admit our weaknesses and wrongdoings, eagerly and freely return to Him and with faith and repentance ask for His forgiveness.
Asking Almighty God for what ever we need is exactly what the Holy Bible instructs us to do when encountering all kinds of doubt, weaknesses, stumbling, hard times, sickness, loneliness, persecution, injustice etc. Matthew 7/7&8: “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened” All what we have to do is pray and to ask Him with faith, self confidence and humility and He will respond. Matthew 21/22: “All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
We are not left alone at any time, especially when in trouble, no matter how far we distance ourselves from God and disobey His Holy bible. He is a Father, a loving, caring and forgiving Father. What is definite is that in spite of our foolishness, stupidity, ignorance, defiance and ingratitude He never ever abandons us or gives up on our salvation. He loves us because we His are children. He happily sent His only begotten son to be tortured, humiliated and crucified in a bid to absolve our original sin.
God carries our burdens and helps us to fight all kinds of Evil temptations. Matthew11/28-30: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” God is waiting for our repentance, let us run to Him and ask for forgiveness before it is too late
Biblical Bacground Fourth Sunday of Great Lent: Sunday of the Prodigal Son Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 15/11-32.
Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ “So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe the best one and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate. ‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him.
But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” ’
Fourth Sunday of Great Lent: Sunday of the Prodigal Son
3 Second Letter to the Corinthians13/05 13/”Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? unless, indeed, you fail to pass the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed. But we pray to God that you may not do anything wrong not that we may appear to have passed the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. This is what we pray for, that you may become perfect. So I write these things while I am away from you, so that when I come, I may not have to be severe in using the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down. Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
في أسفل فهرس صفحات الياس بجاني على موقع المنسقية القديم
