Like The Prodigal Son I Returned

With over a million copies sold, this classic work is essential reading for all who ask, “Where has my struggle led me?” A chance encounter with a reproduction of Rembrandt’s The Return of the Prodigal Son catapulted Henri Nouwen on an unforgettable spiritual adventure. Here he shares the deeply personal and resonant meditation that led him to discover the place within where God has chosen to dwell. As Nouwen reflects on Rembrandt’s painting in light of his own life journey, he evokes a powerful drama of the classic parable in a rich, captivating way that is sure to reverberate in the hearts of readers. Nouwen probes the several movements of the parable: the younger son’s return, the father’s restoration of sonship, the elder son’s resentfulness, and the father’s compassion. The themes of homecoming, affirmation, and reconciliation will be newly discovered by all who have known loneliness, dejection, jealousy, or anger. The challenge to love as God loves, and to be loved as God’s beloved, will be seen as the ultimate revelation of the parable known to Christians throughout time, and is here represented with a vigor and power fresh for our times.

Steven (Red) Salas was born into a traditional Catholic family in Racine, Wisconsin. His life seemed to be a contradiction from the very beginning. It was not a loving Catholic home, instead his parents divorced when he was quite young (six years old), and he and his brother lived with his physically and verbally abusive mother. Even though he went to weekly church services, he actually felt a deeper connection to the Christian programming found on TV. As Red grew into adolescence, he quickly found himself in trouble with the law on multiple occasions and forsaking his faith. He didn't start hanging out with the wrong crowd; instead, he was the wrong crowd. His mother eventually gave up and sent him to live with his father, but the courts finally ordered Red to live with a foster family, hoping that this would get him back on the straight and narrow. He returned back to his wild ways when he was allowed to go home to his father. When the time came that Red became a young father himself, he knew he had to do something different. So he defied the odds and joined the US Army. The military proved to be a positive change that Red needed. He accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior, learned respect, and was achieving success in his military job. Until one day, an army work-related accident happened; he suffered a traumatic brain injury. The side effects began to take over, but being a "strong" man, he pushed things aside. He got out of the army and started a new life with his family in San Antonio, Texas. The side effects of his TBI by then had helped to make it difficult to hold down a job, his first marriage fell apart, and his faith seemed to be drained. Red was left raising three daughters by himself and still seeking the unconditional love from a woman that had always been a void in his life. Time passes and wounds heal. He found himself praying to G-d but still not fully allowing him to work in his life. Red met his second wife, the love of his life. But between the process of climbing the ranks and finally achieving the rank of vice president of the notorious San Antonio chapter of the Bandidos MC (one of the most well-known and dangerous outlaw 1%er motorcycle clubs in the world) and the continued side effects of his TBI, their marriage fell apart. Red hit rock bottom. The pain from the TBI became too much and he checked himself into the VA hospital. Finally, he got the medical help that he needed for so many years. He reconciled his marriage and retired from the Bandidos MC after ten years of loyalty. Follow the story of a young Catholic boy turned born-again Christian as he defies his faith, gets mixed up with the law, and becomes a member of the Infamous Bandidos MC. But like the Prodigal Son, he returns home because of G-d's mercy and Red's faith in Jesus Christ.

With a preface by James Martin, SJ. A specially-priced two-in-one omnibus gift edition of Henri Nouwen's bestselling The Return of the Prodigal Son and it's companion and prequel Home Tonight. In seizing the inspiration that came to him through Rembrandt's depiction of the powerful Gospel story "The Return of the Prodigal Son," Henri Nouwen probes several movements of the parable: the younger son's return, the father's restoration of sonship, the elder son's vengefulness, and the father's compassion. In his reflection on Rembrandt in light of his own life's journey, the author evokes a powerful drama of the parable in a rich, capativating way that is sure to reverberate in the hearts of readers. The themes of homecoming, affirmation, and reconciliation will be newly discovered by all who have known loneliness, dejection, jealousy, or anger. Coupled with the lectures that inspired the book and originally collected in Home Tonight, this special 2-in-1 omnibus will be the definitive edition of the spiritual classic.

"The Prodigal Son's Return: Redemption, Regrets, and a Second Chance at Love" is a powerful and heartwarming tale of family, forgiveness, and second chances. Jonathan, a prodigal son, returns home after many years of being estranged from his family. He left behind a trail of regrets and mistakes, but he is determined to make amends and start over. His family is hesitant to trust him, but they are willing to give him a second chance. As Jonathan works to rebuild his relationships with his loved ones, he confronts his past and learns to forgive himself. He finds love and reconnects with his family, but his journey is not easy. He faces challenges, makes sacrifices, and confronts the consequences of his past actions. Through it all, Jonathan learns to accept responsibility for his mistakes and to embrace the gift of grace. He discovers the importance of family, forgiveness, and second chances, and he finds hope and transformation in his journey. This book is a story of hope and redemption, of love and forgiveness, and of the power of second chances. It will resonate with readers who have experienced the pain of broken relationships, the weight of regret, and the desire for a fresh start. It is a tale of courage, resilience, and the beauty of transformation.

Loving a prodigal is a long and desperate journey, filled with fear, worry, anger, self- recrimination. You wait for the phone call--will it be from jail or the hospital? You plead with your loved one. You search for help. You feel the shame. You cry out to God, "How long, Lord?" Author Judy Douglass knows these lovers of prodigals well. She is one herself and has created a large and growing community with others. When You Love a Prodigal is a collection of 90 essays--90 days of perspective on what God offers to you as you love your prodigal. At the end of each brief essay, response questions will help you process how God intends to use the wilderness journey to mold your spiritual life. You can work through it day by day, or you can read it straight through. Judy has traveled this road with her own prodigal--reading, learning, praying, and seeking God. Over and over he continued to give her wisdom, he sustained her, he covered her with grace, and he filled her with hope. May you, too, be strengthened and filled with hope as together you discover how God will take you through your own valley.

The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.

Using the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Sr. Theresa Noble, a formerly fallen-away Catholic, gently covers the necessary elements of approaching those who have left the Church. She encourages you to meet them where they are while emphasizing the importance of the faith. With her gentle encouragement, she will lead you to continue to hope for their conversion, so that you might share the joy of the Father when The Prodigal You Love returns home.

Guercino's Paintings and His Patrons' Politics in Early Modern Italy examines how the seventeenth-century Italian painter Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (better known as Il Guercino) instilled the political ideas of his patrons into his paintings. As it focuses on eight works showing religious scenes and scenes taken from Roman history, this volume bridges the gap between social and cultural history and the history of art, untangling the threads of art, politics, and religion during the time of the Thirty Years' War. A prolific painter, Guercino enjoyed the patronage of such luminaries as Pope Gregory XV, Cardinals Serra, Ludovisi, Spada, and Magalotti, and the French secretary of state La Vrilli?. While scholarly research has been devoted to Guercino's oeuvre, this book is the first to place his works squarely in the context of the political and social circumstances of seventeenth-century Italy, stressing the points of view and agendas of his powerful patrons. What were once meanings only apparent to the educated elite?or those familiar with the political affairs of the time?are now scrutinized and clarified for an audience far from the struggles of early modern Europe.