The Return of the Prodigal Son

A chance encounter with an inexpensive poster forever changes a person’s life. His desire for increased understanding of the image finds him studying the original work in St. Petersburg and delving deep into the scriptures and the recesses of his own soul.

In The Return of the Prodigal Son, Henri J.M. Nouwen created a work of staggering beauty, no less so that the painting that inspired the memoir. A sensitive and introspective author, Nouwen’s body of literature never fails to stir the reader. The Return of the Prodigal Son may be his masterpiece as he lays his soul bare as he identifies with each of the characters in the parable of the lost son.

Henri J.M. Nouwen was a priest, educator, social activist, and prolific author. Despite his many remarkable accomplishments, his writings often give the impression of a somewhat sad and lonely individual. Could this be why the image and story of the prodigal enchanted him so?

The parable of the prodigal son resonates with us even today because it depicts universal themes such as independence, failure, betrayal, loss, forgiveness, love and the search for meaning. The main body of story follows a similar structure to the archetypical masculine journey in literature.

“There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. (Luke 15: 11 - 12, NIV)

These verses correspond to the first stage of the masculine journey. Our protagonist, the son, lives in a world of opportunity and wealth. But he is fixated on the idea of making his own way in the world.

"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there 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: 13 - 16, NIV)

The second stage of the masculine journey is pictured in these verses. After finding some initial fulfillment (wild living) the son’s world comes crashing down around him. Not only does he lose his personal wealth, but the entire country experiences a famine. In other words, he is the poorest of the poor. The vile animals he is hired to maintain actually have a better standard of living than he does -- at least they have regular meals.

"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.

"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: 17 - 24, NIV)

These verses illustrate the final act of the masculine journey. The son experiences an awakening as he comprehends the goodness of his father. His transformation is demonstrated by the prodigal expressing his willingness to be a hired hand. Of course, the victory is made complete by the restoration of his sonship by the forgiveness of his father.

Nouwen takes this powerful story and applies it to his inner life, "the home of God within [him]". This is the home where the truest communion with God takes place, stripped of any pretense. His insights are honest -- almost uncomfortably so sometimes -- and reflect his deep understanding and commitment to the spiritual discipline of study.

Nouwen has the courage to drag out into the light the darkest struggles of the human heart. When he writes, “It dawned on me that my best theological and spiritual formation had not been able to completely free me from a Father God who remained somewhat threatening and somewhat fearsome”, he is articulating the struggle of so many people.

Other insights are unique to the author, such as his precious image of Jesus as a prodigal son. Although not a perfect comparison to the son in the story, I personally found it brought out a new richness in my reading of the parable and added depth to my understanding of the life of Jesus.

Reading The Return of the Prodigal Son left me better understanding myself and more in love with God. It is astounding that one person’s attentiveness to a painting and a few lines of text can yield so much insight on the spiritual life. It has made me more committed to cultivating the discipline of study in my own life.

The prodigal son remained close to Henri Nouwen’s heart for the rest of his life. According to the official website of the Nouwen Society, the author passed away in 1996 en route to St. Petersburg to film a documentary about Rembrandt’s painting. The prodigal had returned home.