The Son who came back

Jesus liked to tell stories to explain how much God loves us. One story was about a man and his two sons. The elder son was happy to stay at home, but the younger son wanted to see the world. He said to his father, “Give me my share of my inheritance.” So the father divided his property between his two sons. Not long after that, the younger son took his inheritance and went to a country far away. He spent his money on wild living until he had nothing left.

At that time there was a food shortage in that country. Because the son had no more money, he had to find work. He worked for a man who sent him to feed his pigs. He was so hungry that he wished he could eat the pigs’ food. But no one gave him food.Then he began to think about his life and about his father and his home. He thought, “I’m dying of hunger while my father’s servants have more than enough food. I will go back to my father. I will ask him to forgive me. And I will ask him to make me one of his servants, because I know that I don’t deserve to be his son.”

So he got up and went back to his father. The father missed his younger son very much. Every day he looked out towards the road, hoping to see his son coming back. One day he saw his son in the distance. The father ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

The son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I don’t deserve to be called your son.” But the father said, “You are my son. We must celebrate that you have come home.”

The father gave his son his best robe, new sandals for his feet and a ring for his finger. The servants prepared food. And everyone began to celebrate. The father said, “My son was dead and now he is alive again. He was lost and now he is found.”

When the elder son saw the celebration, he got angry. He had worked faithfully for his father while his brother wasted his money. Now his brother was welcomed back with open arms! He told his father, “Why did you never give me a party? It isn’t fair!” The father said, “I would have given you whatever you wanted. You only had to ask. Be glad that your brother has come back.”

Luke 15:11–32