Henri Nouwen, The Prodigal Son

This book touched me deeply. I read it many years ago, close to its date of publication in 1992. Because we were traveling to Amsterdam this summer, to study and reflect on the works of Rembrandt, I pulled this book off my shelf to get closer at Rembrandt. This book is published with a magnificent print of Rembrandt’s great painting The Return Of The Prodigal Son on its cover. What Nouwen does is simply stunning. He reports the journey of how this painting changed his life. Of course it is not only the painting. Rembrandt drew Nouwen more deeply into the extraordinary story told by Jesus. Nouwen guides us through our own journey, first focusing on the repentant son, then on the defiant, self-centered older brother, and eventually on the loving father, who receives them all with the hands of grace and forgiveness and love. We are encouraged to come home to these loving hands. We are encouraged to open our own hands to others. I read this book with devotional slowness early in the mornings. It is a strong and beautiful book. It introduced me to Rembrandt more deeply but most of all to Jesus and his Father in fresh and moving ways.