Lent 2022 Day 2
Daily Images of God
MARCH 3
LOVING FATHER OF TWO LOST SONS
"Then Jesus said, “There was once a man who had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had exhausted his money, a severe famine struck that country, and he began to be in serious need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. He was so hungry that he would have gladly eaten his fill of the carob pods which served as fodder for the swine. But no one would give him anything. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here I am, starving to death. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have done wrong against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have done wrong against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me so much as a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when this ‘son’ of yours returns who swallowed up your property with sex workers, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’” (Luke 15:11-32; The Ashland Bible)
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