Next week-end, the Sunday Gospel will focus on the parable of the Prodigal Son. In our office, the OCS leadership have been reading the book of the same title by Henri Nouwen. The book offers Henri Nouwen’s reflections on Rembrandt's painting, a painting that depicts the younger son’s return, and the older son’s inability to understand and forgive. This painting and parable inspired Henri to travel the world to more fully understand the parable and its many lessons for our lives. We are called to reflect and question who we are in the story. Are you the older son who remains “faithful” to the father and tends to the fields and responsibilities at home, or the younger son who squanders his inheritance and returns to the open arms of his father? The parable requires the reader to reflect on what is means to be “faithful” – are we faithful in our actions but not in our spirit? Have we planted our feet so deeply in the earth that our particular view casts judgement of others who have walked a different path? Or are we faithful in our ability to recognize our own fragility and ask for mercy and love, knowing that we don’t deserve it, but wanting the embrace of the father? And, there is one more character in the story, the father. Can we recognize ourselves in the loving embrace and embody the love of the father so as to give this love to all, most especially to those who may have caused us harm? If you can make the time, I recommend a book study and encourage all to take a deeper dive into The Return of the Prodigal Son By Henri J.M. Nouwen.

We keep you in our prayers of gratitude,

KRISTIN DIXON |  Superintendent