JESUS – A man had two sons. The younger son wanted to leave home.

YOUNGER SON – Father, give me my share of the property now.

FATHER – Why do you you need so much money?

YOUNGER SON – I want to go out in the world and have fun.

JESUS – So the father divided up the property between his two sons. Then the younger son took his money and went off to a faraway land.

YOUNGER SON – I have all this money . Now I can do anything I want to do.

JESUS – It did not take long before all of his money was gone. And his friends were gone too. He was alone and hungry.

YOUNGER SON – I am so hungry. I must get a job. I will do any kind of work.

JESUS – So the boy went to work for a farmer. He had to take care of the farmer’s pigs. The boy was so hungry that he wanted to eat the pigs’ corn.

YOUNGER SON – Here I am starving, while my father’s servants have more than enough to eat. I must return home and ask my father to forgive me.

JESUS – So the younger son set off for his father’s house. While he was still a long way off his father saw him coming down the road and ran to meet him.

FATHER – My son! My son! I am so glad that you have come home.

JESUS – The father threw his arms around the boy and kissed him.

YOUNGER SON – Father, I have sinned against God and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son. Can you forgive me? Let me work as one of your servants.

JESUS – But the father was so happy to have his son back.

FATHER – Bring out the finest robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet. Kill the prize calf and we shall have a fine feast to celebrate. My son was dead and has come back to life. He was lost and now he is found!

JESUS – And so the celebration began. Now, the older son was working in the fields and heard the sound of music and dancing.

OLDER SON – What is going on at the house? Why is there music and dancing?

JESUS – A servant told him that his brother was home and that the father wanted a feast to celebrate.

OLDER SON – This is wrong. There should no celebrating.

JESUS – When the older son got home, he was angry and would not go into the house. His father came out and begged him to come inside.

FATHER – Come in, son and join in the celebration. Why are you so angry?

OLDER SON – For years I have worked for you. I have never disobeyed you. Yet, you never gave me so much as a goat to celebrate with my friends. Then this son of yours returns after spending all of his money and you kill a prize calf for him.

FATHER – My son, you are always with me and everything I have is yours. But your brother was dead and has come back to life. He was lost and is found. We have to celebrate.