Rembrandt van Rijn is one of my favorite painters. In some ways I do not know why- the paintings are quite dark both literally and figuratively (much of his subject matter is somber) yet his expertise in capturing the human condition intrigues me.

Rembrandt’s The Prodigal Son is one that captures the essence of the parable told by Jesus:

“The parable begins with a young man, the younger of two sons, who asks his father to give him his share of the estate. The parable continues by describing how the younger son travels to a distant country and wastes all his money in wild living. When a famine strikes, he becomes desperately poor and is forced to take work as a swineherd. When he reaches the point of envying the pigs he is looking after, he finally comes to his senses:

But when he came to himself he said, "How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough to spare, and I'm dying with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.'" He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. – Luke 15:17-20.

The son does not even have time to finish his rehearsed speech, since the father calls for his servants to dress him in a fine robe, a ring, and sandals, and slaughter the "fattened calf" for a celebratory meal. The older son, who was at work in the fields, hears the sound of celebration, and is told about the return of his younger brother. He is not impressed, and becomes angry: But he answered his father, "Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him." – Luke 15:29-30.

The parable concludes with the father explaining that because the younger son had returned, in a sense, from the dead, celebration was necessary: "Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.” - Luke 15: 31-32. [excerpt from www.rembrandtpainting.com]

The thing about the story and the painting- I can relate to both the older and younger son. I can see myself as the elder standing aloof in the distance- disgusted by the unfolding of events and seemingly “favoritism” being shown by the father. I would be thinking, “The ingrate. How can he come back, getting more things from the father when he already squandered his inheritance? What about me? All my hard work?”

And I see myself as the younger son- brash, insensitive, cocky, presumptuous- (asking for an inheritance that is disrespectful to the father as this societal action would basically tell the father you are dead to me.) I see myself squandering all that I have been blessed to receive (time,talent and treasure), by not using it for others or for the future. I also can see myself when life bottoms out or becomes too difficult, to come with tail tucked under and hoping upon hope that I could just be near the presence of a stable situation. What I long for but know I do not deserve is to bury my head in the folds of enclosing arms with the whisper of “Welcome home. I have been missing you. All will be okay.”

I am drawn to the father of the story- calm, loving, showing mercy to both sons. While the elder son’s actions over the years were appropriate and “right”, his words underscore his transactional view of the father just like his brother’s. He wasn’t at all thinking of a relationship with his father. He may have not asked for his inheritance early like his younger brother, but he was certainly only going through the motions until his father’s demise. The father doesn’t chide him on that, but lovingly reassures him that he is not forgotten, that all he has is the sons and that he is loved.

The younger son is a long way off when the father runs to meet him. What an image- the parent, sick with years of worry and grief, longing for his son’s return, spies him in the distance. It didn’t matter what happened in the past, it was just a celebration that he returned home.

Today in my reflections, I am thinking of this picture and the word prodigal. Prodigal as an adjective means, “1: characterized by profuse or wasteful expenditure : LAVISH 2: recklessly spendthrift 3: yielding abundantly : LUXURIANT —often used with of”. (merriam-webster.com) I like that, even though it describes one being wasteful and reckless, one can also be luxuriant in one’s actions. This story upends the societal notion of keep your head down and do what is right and you will get the big reward. While that is true, after all the father did not neglect the older son, the story also reminds us that it is never too late to come home. That the father is longing to lavishly celebrate when one of his beloved comes home. Isn’t that the picture of mercy? Provision of abundance when we least expect it?

What about you? Are you the older or younger brother? What experience would cause you to come “home”? Is it hitting rock bottom? Is it a reassurance that you have been loved all along?

[As an aside- Another thing I love about this painting are the father’s hands. If you look closely, they do not appear to be similar. One is more delicate than the other. A feminine looking right hand and a masculine left hand. For me, that represents God- both male and female. God made us in His image, male and female. Each one of us may have masculine and feminine traits which transcends more than gender or sexual traits. We become reflections of God. ]