Review: Return of the Prodigal Son

 

The beginning of this book tells how the author, Henri Nouwen, first saw Rembrandt’s painting of the Prodigal Son and his return home.  “It makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time.”  He bought a copy, and it impacted him for his remaining years.
The book is divided into three sections, The Younger Son, The Elder Son, and The Father.  Nouwen promptly begins relating the painting and Jesus’ parable to his own life, and to God the Father.  And ultimately, to his own earthly father.  His story becomes very personal at times, and he perceives many new insights.to the parable, his own life, and to Rembrandt’s life, who was old when he painted his perception of the parable told by Jesus.  
When Nouwen begins on the elder son’s story, his analysis becomes intense. “Unlike fairy tales, the parable provides no happy ending.  Instead, it leaves us face to face with one of life’s hardest spiritual choices: to trust or not to trust in God’s all-forgiving love.”   Nouwen tells how the painting (and God) inspired him “to claim my own God-given sonship.  For the first time in my life, I told my father explicitly that I loved him and was so grateful for his love for me.  I said many things I had never said before.”  (On a personal note, I could have written those words.)
Over years, Nouwen perceived many insights from Rembrandt’s painting, like how Jesus could be seen as a prodigal son, leaving His Father’s house which contained the utmost love, to come to live with us, in this pigsty.  He then goes back to the Father Who was waiting with open arms, and opening the door for us, prodigal sons as we are, to follow Him.  Nouwen also concludes that Jesus’ Parable of the Prodigal Son and Rembrandt’s painting leave open a “what’s next?” question.  Nouwen gradually perceives that a key point of the parable is the unsaid assumption that now both sons will grow up in the father’s house, to become fathers themselves, just like we are called to come home to the Church and grow to become like the Father in heaven.
This is a magnificent book to slowly read and pray on in the Adoration Chapel, while having a sincere discussion with God about our lives.  Most especially, I believe, this book will impact the hearts of elderly people, like me.
I have many underlines and margin comments I wrote in the second half of the book.  I will treasure it always.