The Return of the Prodigal Son

Henri Nouwen has taken a parable from the Bible and unpacked it into a deeply moving explanation of the path of our spiritual journey that leads us right to God. Through his self-examination we find ourselves guided, tested, challenged and delighted, as the expanding of his understanding showcases the power and beauty of each of the characters in Rembrandt's painting, that was a door into a changing world for him, and can become the same for us. \\r\\n\\r\\nI highly recommend this book for anyone on a Christian path, a Theological one, or simply a Spiritual Journey. It is a gift that will continue to give for a very long time.

In this book, Henri J. M. Nouwen shares how his chance encounter with a reproduction of Rembrandt's painting, The Return of the Prodigal Son, sets him on a spiritual journey which brings him to a new understanding of his vocation and offers him new strength to live it. Nouwen's reflections on the parable of the prodigal son depicted in the painting are at once instructive, insightful and edifying. He reminds the readers how we can all be like the younger son as well as the elder brother, both of whom are lost in their own ways and need to return to the Father who is ever ready to forgive, embrace and restore. In a very interesting way, Nouwen shows how Jesus is the True Prodigal who leaves the Father's house in obedience to go to a far country to bring us back to the Father. Jesus is also the True Elder Brother who lives in complete obedience to the Father, an obedience which is not characterized by distance, fear or suspicion. Last but not least, Nouwen points out that the return to the Father is ultimately a challenge to become like the Father and how spiritual fatherhood is characterized by grief, forgiveness, and generosity. Reading this book will help us to gain deeper insights into and appreciation for the rich truths contained in the parable. Highly recommended!