[Propertalk] Fwd: [Goodsermons] (Part 2) The Mother in the Prodigal Son Parable

[Joe Parrish]

Brother-Relationships in Film: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Movies that feature brother-relationships can be especially helpful in putting into all capital letters in Jesus’ story both the dysfunction between the two brothers and the prodigal grace of the father/God. 

Brothers (2009; dir. Jim Sheridan), based on the Award-winning, Danish film of the same name (2004; dir. Susanne Bier), provides a fascinating dynamic that runs opposite of Jesus’ story. Whereas, in the former, the "good" son stays home while the "bad" son runs off, the opposite is the case in Brothers. The older brother, Sam (Tobey Maguire), is upstanding as a good husband, father, and soldier. His younger brother Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal), by contrast, has spent time in prison and, in general, has been deadbeat and self-destructive. Sam leaves for Afghanistan, and when he goes missing in action and is presumed dead, Tommy steps up to be surprisingly caring and supportive toward Sam’s wife Grace (Natalie Portman) and two daughters (Bailee Madison and Taylor Geare). The crisis proves to be a catalyst that brings out Tommy’s best personality traits. He and Grace become romantically involved, but primarily his relationship is focused on being a tender caregiver. Meanwhile, Sam is subjected to the enormity of war, being forced to commit a horrible act of brutality for which he can never forgive himself. Eventually he is found and is able to return home to Grace and the girls, but now, afflicted with P.T.S.D., Sam is moody, mistrusting, and violent, while Tommy has become compassionate and upstanding. The movie increases in violence tragically, thereby providing a searing illustration of how war can cause severe, chronic psychological damage to the people who engage in it for the sake of their nation and beliefs. 

Brothers, then, provides a fascinating foil to Jesus’ story of the prodigal father and his two sons. In the movie, a crisis brings out the best in one person and the worst in another. Similarly, in our pericope, the return of the younger son contains his penance and the older son’s envy. In both stories, we see how we human beings respond variously to pivotal moments: some of us positively, some negatively. In Jesus’ story, however, the father responds consistently with extravagant mercy. He runs to embrace his younger son when he is returning home but still far off. Later, when the older son is sulking outside the party, the father talks to him, not to scold him, but to encourage him to reconcile with his brother and to celebrate that the one who was lost and dead is found and alive. 

The brothers in the movie need that kind of extravagant mercy. Sam needs to hear that God forgives him for any atrocities he committed in Afghanistan. Sam also needs to be forgiving of his wife and brother for any transgressions they committed while believing that Sam was dead. As with Jesus’ story, it is the older brother, not the younger, who is in the greatest need of receiving and giving mercy.

Another profound story about brothers is the Academy Award-winning A River Runs Through It (1993: dir. Robert Redford), which includes a father (Tom Skerritt), as well, although not one as prodigal with mercy as the father in Luke 15. Set in rural Montana during Prohibition and the Great Depression and based on the semi-autobiographical novella by Norman Maclean, the movie tells of a pastor (Skerritt) who has two sons. Norman (Craig Sheffer) is the older son and is generally well-behaved and responsible. He attends college, pursues a career as a journalist, and gets married. Younger brother Paul (Brad Pitt) leads a wild and rebellious life. The brothers are close, though, and love their father, even though he is reserved, aloof, and strict. He is also passionate about fly-fishing and hands that passion down to his sons, especially Paul, who becomes a brilliant fly-fisherman. Sadly, Paul’s wild living leads to his death while he is still quite young. He never does "come to himself" and return home, and the father never runs out to embrace him and prepare the fatted calf for him. In addition, Norman is never the envious older brother. These three men are complex: the younger son is not only reckless, the older son is not only responsible, and the father is stern but also compassionate. 

Perhaps the divine, fatherly grace in the film lies, not in any human character, but in fly-fishing itself. In his mastery of fly-fishing Paul manifests and receives grace. Here is something at which he excels, a skill that yields to him, gives him success and beauty in a life full of failure. Indeed, sometimes we experience the prodigal mercy of the heavenly Father, not through a person, but through an activity. 

Both of these films do a poignant job of exploring human sin and the need for and presence of the mercy of God amid the sin. 

David von Schlichten

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