This week, the female pastors of First United Methodist Church of San Diego look at the well-known story of the prodigal son from Luke 15:11-32 (also known as the forgotten son) who returns home after dishonoring his father, family, and cultural practices. Rev. Hannah views the parable as a story of repentance. But Rev. Trudy brings forth commentary from Dr. Amy Jill Levine that points in another direction.

Regardless of how you view the son, the female pastors agree that the highlight of the story is the unequivocal love brought forth by the father, and a demonstration of undeserving grace.

Some Christians try to rename the story “the loving father story” but when you look closely at all three of the primary characters – there are major flaws and brokenness in them all: the resentment of the older brother, the flippancy and extravagance of the younger brother, and the aloofness of the father. And we leave with the story unresolved – much like the struggles in our own lives, providing us an invitation to figure out how to end our story and estrangements.

We invite you to continue the conversation with friends and family, joining our in-person Convergence discussion group, or visiting our Patreon community where you can unlock more content and inspiration while engaging in online discussion. Here are some questions for you to ponder, as you continue to explore The Story of Love:

During this season of Lent, we have additional spiritual growth opportunities to help you explore The Stories that Save Us: