Henri J. M. Nouwen and The Return of the Prodigal Son

down the road to meet the prodigal son. And later, he greets the older son also outside the home, perhaps at a side entrance as he come in from the fields. Rembrandt displays everyone inside, rather than outside, and the two sons being in the scene at the same time. But, study of the faces and poses shows that Rembrandt's work is faithful to the scriptures in a spiritual sense. The father, while not running down the road, is certainly full of a very tender love for his younger son. And the younger son is very much heart broken at his circumstances and humbles himself kneeling. And the older son, while not outside in Rembrandt's painting, is certainly shown barely entering into the circle of light; aloof - present, yet not participating in the welcome of his brother. Indeed, it is a faithful representation of the scriptural story.

The Prodigal Son

The Prodigal begins his journey by rejecting his father's values. Nouwen writes of the eventual rejection of this younger son. After his money ran out and he was "employed" feeding hogs, he experienced total rejection when he was not even offered the pigs' food to eat. The people around the son did not even recognize his human need for sustenance, his commonality with them. They cut him off as even being human.

And then when he desired to eat the pigs' food, the son comes to the realization that he is not a pig, he is a human, and he is a son with a father. And he makes a decision.

The son returns to his home, not expecting total forgiveness, however. It is hard for us to imagine total forgiveness when we have thrown away our Father's values, when we have insulted Him and gone astray.

Nouwen translated Matthew 18:3: "Unless you turn and become like children you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven." The younger son turned toward home only hoping to participate outside his father's home as a laborer, but found himself restored to complete sonship, a picture of being "re-born" into the Kingdom.

Meditate on the painting and imagine yourself in the place of the returning prodigal.

The Elder Son

In the painting, the elder son stands aside, on the edge of the lighted area. He holds his hands rather than opening them in welcome. Here is a picture of a man who is physically in his father's house, yet in

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