• This whole section of Luke is about loss: woman loses coin, shepherd loses sheep, father

loses son. We’ve all lost something; as Ruby says, "Where does it hurt?"

• Something pushes the younger son to leave “home,” and then he “comes to himself”

and returns to love. Is his story in any way like yours?

• The father’s joy that what was lost is now found points to God’s joy when we turn back

toward God. Take a moment and tell God about any way you need to turn around, and

ask for help to do so.

• How do we make Middle Church more like “home” for you? For others?