“There was a specific man who had two sons. The younger of them then asked his father for the share of the stuff that was due to him. He then shared his means of support among them.

“And not many days after, the younger son gathered everyone, set off for a far-off land, and there he destroyed his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent everything, a terrible famine broke out in that country, and he found himself in need.

“Then he went and attached himself to a citizen of that nation, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And if somebody had given him something, he would have happily filled his stomach with the pods that the pigs ate.

’But after a while, he thought to himself, ‘How many of my father’s hired slaves have bread enough and to spare, yet I suffer with hunger! I’ll get up and head over to my father, where I’ll tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your presence, and I no longer deserve to be called your son. Make me into a hired servant, please.”

He got up and went to see his father. However, when he was camestill quite a distance away, his father  running and fell on his neck, kissing him out of compassion.

‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son,’ the son replied to him.

But the father told his staff, “Bring out the nicest robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. Because this is my son, who was lost and then found, who was dead and is now alive, bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and then let us eat and celebrate. They started to enjoy themselves.Today, his oldest son was working in the field. He could hear dancing and music as he approached the house. He thus dialled one of the servants and enquired as to what these terms meant. “When his brother arrived, he informed him that his father had killed the fatted calf because he had received him safely.

But he refused to enter because he was furious. As a result, his father approached him and begged him. As a result, he said, “Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never disobeyed your command at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. You murdered the fatted calf for him as soon as your son arrived, who has eaten up your livelihood with harlots.

And he told him, “Son, you are constantly with me and you have access to all I have. We had every reason to celebrate and be happy since your brother was missing, but now he’s back.