Book Review - The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri J.M. Nouwen (Part One)


Both of us are avid readers. There are many wonderful books out there that have helped us in our Faith journey & we thought we'd like to start a series featuring some of our favorites. This first one will be in three parts. I first read it in 2007. I was struggling in my Faith & a dear friend lent me a stack of books she thought might help me. This review (edited slightly) was initially written & shared on my blog at that time. 

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The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri J.M. Nouwen 

Many years ago, Nouwen came across Rembrandt's painting, The Return of the Prodigal Son. He was captivated & spent many years studying it. This book is in three parts, compiling his thoughts from the perspective of the Prodigal Son, the Elder Son, & the Father. 

After I finished reading Part One, two ideas specifically jumped out at me.

1) The Prodigal Son's asking for his inheritance is much more than just wanting to go his own way. It is a rejection of his father & family. He requests not only his inheritance, but the right to dispose of his part so that his father cannot live off the proceeds.

 "Here the younger son gets, and thus is assumed to have demanded, disposition to which, even more explicitly, he has no right until the death of his father. The implication of 'Father, I cannot wait for you to die' underlies both requests....The son's 'leaving' is, therefore, a much more offensive act than it seems at first reading. It is a heartless rejection of the home in which the son was born and nurtured and a break with the most precious tradition carefully upheld by the larger community of which he was a part." (pg. 36)

2) This is not such a new thought to many, but it really struck me: In telling the parable, Jesus is seeing Himself as the Prodigal Son. Nowen quotes Frere Pierre Marie, comparing God to the Prodigal Son's father & shows that after Jesus rose from the dead & ascended into Heaven, God greeted Him:

"Then in the silence, looking at his Son and all his children, since his Son had become all in all, the Father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet; let us eat and celebrate! Because my children who, as you know, were dead have returned to life; they were lost and have been found again! My prodigal Son has brought them all back.' They all began to have a feast dressed in their long robes, washed white in the blood of the Lamb." (pg. 57)


To be continued... 

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