There was a man who had two sons.

Candle Lighting

The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had and set off for a distant country. Luke 15:11-13

I want to invite you to use your God-given creative mind as we explore the parable of the Prodigal Son. Imagine that you are the son. You may want to close your eyes, to help your imagining. You approach your living father and you ask for your inheritance. Can you see the blood drain from his face? How does it make you feel? To ask your father for inheritance while he is alive is like saying that you are sick of your family and you wish he was dead. Your father is shocked, because there is no law or custom in your culture that entitles a son to a share of the estate while the father is still alive. An inheritance sale takes place. The village negotiators call you despicable and childish and they have a ceremony called ketsatsah, the "cutting off." Your relatives put corn and nuts in a jar and they break the jar in front of the whole village and announce that you have been cut off from your inheritance. Only restoration of the land can undo the ketsatsah, your "cutting off." And so you lose your inheritance and are cut off from the village forever. You leave, cut off from your family, from your village. Do you have mixed feelings as you pack your bags? Have you made the right decision?

Snuff out the Candle

Reflect What are the things that snuff out God’s presence in your life?

Remove Shoes From a Son to a Prodigal

Art Stations Write or draw things that lead you away from Father

In the distant country he squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. Luke 15:14-16

Close your eyes and imagine yourself in the distant land where you spend you money on parties, friends and stuff that you father would not exactly be proud of. Before long there is a severe famine in the land. How do you feel when your money runs out and your friends desert you? There is no media to tell caring countries about the famine. No World Vision to feed the hungry. In time of famine, a person turns to their family. But you have no family. You are a stranger in a strange land. You become hungry. You could return home. Home, to shame before your father, to the shame of having to be fed by your brother, to the shame of ketsatsah, of being "cut off" from village. Are you willing to endure all that? Instead you do the unthinkable. You may remember how one of the Rabbi’s had said to you when you were young: "Cursed are those who breed swine". Cursed are you, as you sell yourself to a pig breeder. It gets worse. Pigs eat pods. Hungry, you gaze at the pods, wishing you were a pig, wishing you could eat. You, a Jew, wanting to live like a pig – how low you have fallen! This is rock bottom!!! How do you feel?

When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father. Luke 15:17-20 Lectio Meditatio Oratio Contemplatio

Pig Food In the compost there are wrapped sweets. Search through the compost with your hands until you find a sweet and eat it. As you do so imagine how the son felt sitting among the pigs.

Finally you have come to your senses. You cannot live like this any longer. You have an idea. You could return to your village. You could try to run past the village, try to out-sprint the gauntlet of the ketsatsah. You could negotiate with your father. You could ask to be a hired hand. Not a son, not a slave, but a hired hand. A hired hand does not live at home, does not join the family, and gets paid for their work. And so you decide to take the long road home. Imagine how you feel as you walk the many many miles. How many times do you want to turn around and just stay lost? What if your Father does not accept you? What will you do?

Cleansing Look at your hands and the dirt that has attached. What are the things you wish to leave behind you this morning? As you wash your hands in the water ask God to cleanse and renew you as you begin your journey back to Him.

Journey to Father

ME FATHER

Brainstorm Write or draw things that lead you closer to Father

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.‘ But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. Luke 15:20-24

Close your eyes and remember the day that you set out on your journey back home. You think you will reach your former home by afternoon but around lunch time you see a man running towards you. Jewish men never run in public, so you wonder what could be the cause. As you get closer, you can almost make out his face – could it be your father? You don't have to wonder for long as he throws his arms around you and hugs and kisses you. "My son! My son!" he says with tears streaming down his face. How do you feel to be back in the arms of someone who loves you so unconditionally? Despite all you have done he embraces you!

You feel so safe to be in your father’s arms again. Suddenly you remember your prepared speech and you began to say, "Father, I have sinned against you." But your father is not listening. He is too busy telling his servants to bring you sandals, a robe, and a ring. "Quickly! Quickly!" he keeps saying. It was as if you can’t be reinstated into your family and to your village quickly enough. You are given shoes – this means that you father will not let you be a servant – servants walk barefooted while sons wear shoes! A fine robe is placed on you to show that you are a full member of the household. And your father gives you the family ring – do you realize the significance of this? After you wasted half of his life savings, he is entrusting you with the ring that he uses in business transactions? Then you smell the roast beef, and before you knew what is happening you are the honored guest at your father's feast. You feel so small, yet so honored; so ashamed, but so happy to be with your father again; so unworthy, but so unconditionally loved.

Receiving from Father: Shoes Robe Ring

Symbolic Act Put your shoes back on

Imagine now that your father is God. You've sinned against him, you don't deserve all the gifts God gives you, and yet God loves you unconditionally. You could never be bad enough to make God stop loving you. You could never be good enough to deserve his lavish attention. Spend a few minutes talking to God. Ask for forgiveness, thank him for all the gifts you have, and enjoy hearing over and over again about his love for you. Just enjoy knowing that God is crazy about you. You are really a "spoiled" child of God. Reflect on God's unconditional love and undivided attention.

Relight the Candle

Celebration Feast The Lord’s Supper

Father of all, we give you thanks and praise that while we were still far off you met us and brought us home.

Heavenly Father, the story of the lost son reminds us of you. You go out of your way to lavish gifts on us, your children. We are so grateful for your forgiveness, your compassion, and your love. Help us extend your forgiveness to our enemies, your love to our families, and your compassion to the needy.

The Prodigal Son