I'd like to tell you all a story.

A certain man had two sons and one day the younger of these sons said to his father, "Give me my share of your estate now."

So his father divided his wealth between his two sons and, a few days later, this younger son set off for a distant land. And there he squandered all of the money he had on riotous living.

Now, not long after this, a great famine swept over the land and the boy began to starve. He persuaded a farmer to hire him to feed his pigs, but he was so hungry that even the husks he was feeding the swine began to look good to him. And still nobody gave him anything.

Finally, the boy came to his senses.

"At home even my father's servants had enough food, and to spare, and here I am starving to death. I will go home and ask my father to hire me as one of his servants."

And so he set off.

Now he was still some distance from his home when his father saw him coming. And he was so filled with compassion, that he ran towards his son and embraced him and kissed him.

The boy said: "Father, I have sinned against heaven and you! I am not worthy to be called your son!"

But his father called for the servants and said, "Bring me the finest robe in the house and put it on him! Put rings on his hands and shoes on his feet! Kill the fatted calf, we must celebrate with a feast! My son was dead and is alive again."

Now, the older brother, at this time, was working in the fields. And as he came back to the house, he heard the noise of music and dancing. He called for one of the servants and asked what was happening, and he was told.

At this, the older brother became very angry and he refused to go into the house. The father came out, tried to plead with him, but he wouldn't listen.

"I have worked for you all this time, all these years, and never once have I disobeyed you! And in all that time you've never even given me so much as a goat so that I could have a feast with my friends! My younger brother comes back, having spent all YOUR money on harlots, and for him you kill the fatted calf!"

"Please," said the father, "Please. Try to understand. You are always with me, everything I have is yours, but it is right to celebrate. Your brother was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found."

This post was edited on 2/18/19 at 2:16 pm