The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming

Nouwen provides great insight into God's character and our walk with Him. The book is written almost like a journal and at times like a biography (of Rembrandt). This is one of my favorite books of all times.

This is my #1 pick of all Henri Nouwen wrote for the world. I have bought many copies of this book to give as gifts. It has touched the hearts of every recipient. It is a must read for everyone.

I have heard the story of the Prodigal Son all my life, but Nouwen's discussion of it has drawn my heart to the Father more than anything has for a long time. I have just ordered my second copy because I marked up the first one so badly on my first reading that my copious notes now distract me!

Nouwen takes us through his own journey of spiritual discovery that was triggered by his fascination with Rembrandt's painting of the same name. While he refers to the painting more than to the biblical text, his exploration of the story is consistent (with only one or two exceptions that I can think of) with the text and its true meaning.

He directly but gently challenges us to consider in what ways we are like the prodigal son and in what ways we are like the elder brother. While I felt some pangs of recognition and remorse while I was reading it, it was never discouraging or disheartening, because Nouwen constantly reminds of us the unchanging, undeserved and undeniable love of the Father Who is always calling us home. While some sermons or books make me feel sad or guilty that I have 'left home', this one makes me _want_ to come home to the Father.

And then he adds an interpretive twist that I have never heard before: he calls us to become the _father_, to become like our Heavenly Father in loving and calling others home. too. We embark on a dual journey of becoming the beloved son or daughter of God so that we can become a father who loves as He loves.

Here is a summary passage that gives a taste of where Nouwen takes us on our journey:

"Living out this spiritual fatherhood requires the radical discipline of being home. I find it impossible to love consistently without asking for something in return. But the discipline is precisely to give up wanting to accomplish this myself as a heroic feat. To claim for myself spiritual fatherhood, I have to let the rebellious younger son and the resentful elder son step up on the platform to receive the unconditional, forgiving love that the Father offers me, and to discover there the call to be home as my Father is home."

In his warm, vulnerable and profound way, Nouwen offers this book that can itself help us hear the voice of our Father calling us home. I highly recommend it.

AWESOME! This book helped me to understand God's love for us all. Even though we are sinners he is there to welcome us with open arms. The author did an excellent job explaining the picture and the story for evryday people to relate to.

Not one of the best of Nouwen's books. I expected him to tell more about the parable and not about his reaction to the painting.