The Prodigal Son

A father had two sons. One of the sons requested his share of the inheritance immediately so he wouldn't have to wait for his father to die. The father, who loved the son unconditionally, gave him his share of the goods and the son peregrinated to a foreign land. Foolishly, the son spent all his money on parties with his friends. After a time, a great famine came across the land. So the son desperately searched for work, and finally he found it! His work involved feeding pigs, which is quite a messy job. But the son was so hungry that he started eating the pigs’ food!

Finally, the son, whose pride had turned to mortification, came to his senses and said to himself, “I have been very foolish and I need to go back to my home, because my father’s workers at least have something to eat. I will humbly tell my father that I am not a worthy son anymore, and I will work as one of his servants.” In humiliation, he began traveling back to his home which was very far away.

When he was nearly home, his father sighted him and ran and hugged him, but the son cried, “I am not worthy to be your son anymore, please accept me as a servant.” But his father commanded his servants to kill the calf they had been fattening and to prepare a feast! The other son, who had been working in the fields, arrived home later and asked his father why he had killed the calf and prepared a feast. With joy his father replied, “Your brother is home and we are celebrating!” But the older son angrily declared, “I have worked for you all my life and never questioned your authority, but when my brother comes home you prepare a feast for him?” Gently the bewildered father replied, “You have always been with me and everything I have is yours, but he was once lost and now he is home; let‘s be happy about it!”