The Parable of the Lost Son
Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger
of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods
that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not
many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed
to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal
living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in
that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself
to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to
feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the
pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired
servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I
have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy
to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’
“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great
way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell
on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have
sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy
to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and
put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be
merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and
is found.’ And they began to be merry. (Lk 15:11-24) |
