The Prodigal Son .........

The story of the Prodigal Son told by Eisa (Jesus) while responding to the Pharisees' "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them"

Eisa (Jesus) tells the story of a man who has two sons. The younger son asks his father to give him his portion of the family estate as an early inheritance. Once received, the son promptly sets off on a long journey to a distant land and begins to waste his fortune on wild living. When the money runs out, the son finds himself in dire circumstances. He takes a job feeding pigs. He is so destitute that he even longs to eat the food assigned to the pigs.

The young man finally comes to his senses, remembering his father. In humility, he recognizes his foolishness, decides to return to his father and ask for forgiveness and mercy.

The father, who had been waiting, receives his son back with open arms of compassion. He is overjoyed by the return of his lost son! Immediately the father turns to his servants and asks them to prepare a giant feast in celebration. Meanwhile, the older son is not one bit happy when he comes in from working the fields and discovers a party going on to celebrate his younger brother's return. The father tries to dissuade the older brother from his jealous rage explaining, "You are always with me, and everything I have is yours."

What is of interest in this parable is, God represented as the father, will not get offended at us rebelling and quitting his heavenly kingdom.He lets us experience this earthly life, enjoying worldly pleasures.If there is a yearning to return and if we do,God does not refer to our past, but celebrates our return. Should the angels complain, he simply tells them ”You are always with me, and everything I have is yours.”