Scripture Reading
Luke 15:11–24 (Septuagint)
11 A certain man had two sons.
12 And the younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.” So he divided his livelihood between them.
13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.
14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in need.
15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 But when he came to himself, he said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,
19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.’”
20 And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21 And the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.”
22 But the father said to his servants, “Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;
24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” And they began to be merry.
Devotional Reflection
This is one of Jesus’ most beloved parables—and for good reason.
It tells the story not only of rebellion and regret, but of return and restoration.
The son wanders far.
He wastes everything.
He ends up in the lowest place imaginable—feeding pigs, starving, alone.
But then comes the turning point: “he came to himself.”
That is what Lent is meant to do.
It brings us back to ourselves.
It wakes us up to where we’ve wandered—and to where we still belong.
The miracle of this story is not only that the son returns, but that the father runs. Grace does not wait at the door with crossed arms. It runs down the road with open hands.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for never giving up on us.
For waiting, for watching, and for running toward us when we return.
We confess our sins.
We confess our wanderings.
Receive us not because we are worthy—but because You are love.
Wrap us in Your grace.
Restore what we’ve broken.
Teach us to walk again as sons and daughters of the Kingdom.
Thank You that in You, the lost are found and the dead are raised.
Amen.