Jesus told a story about a man with two sons. The younger son asked his father for his share of the property. The father divided his possessions between the two sons.
A few days later, the younger son gathered everything and went to a distant country. There he spent all he had in reckless living. After he had spent everything, a severe famine came over that country, and he began to be in need.
The father had not postponed the request but divided the estate between both sons. The younger son did not leave his portion at home and remain with the family. Within days he converted what he had received into what he could carry and departed.
He hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into the fields to feed pigs. He was so hungry that he wanted to eat the pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
Once the property was gone, the son who had chosen independence attached himself to a resident of the foreign country. His work took him into fields among pigs. The hunger exceeded what his employment supplied; even the animals’ food looked desirable, yet no one offered it to him.
Then he came to himself. He remembered that even his father’s hired workers had more than enough food while he was dying there from hunger. He decided to return, confess that he had sinned, and ask to be treated as one of the hired workers rather than as a son.
He got up and went to his father. While he was still far away, his father saw him, felt compassion, ran to him, embraced him, and kissed him. As the son began his confession, the father told the servants to bring the best robe, put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
The younger son did not remain in the field with a plan only. He stood and made the return journey. His father recognized him before he reached the house and closed the remaining distance by running. The embrace came before the son had delivered his prepared confession.
The son confessed his sin against heaven and his father and said that he no longer deserved to be called a son. Before he reached the request to become a hired worker, the father turned to the servants. The best robe, a ring, and sandals welcomed him within the household rather than placing him among its laborers.
The father ordered them to prepare the fattened calf and celebrate. His son had been dead and was alive again; he had been lost and was found. The celebration began.
The older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. A servant told him that his brother had returned and that his father had prepared the fattened calf because he had received him back safe and well.
The older son became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and pleaded with him, but the son protested that he had served for years without receiving even a young goat to celebrate with friends. Yet the brother who had spent the father’s property returned, and the father had prepared the fattened calf.
The father told him that he was always with him and that everything the father had was his. But they had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother had been dead and was alive again, and had been lost and was found.