"Homecoming"
by: Joe Silva


I was born into the home of a wealthy industrialist. I grew up knowing that my father loved me. My mother died upon giving birth to me. I have often wondered what she was like. The servants who raised me often told me stories of my mother's love for everyone she met, most of all her family. They would tell me how she would sing to me before I was born, and that all through the time I was inside her she had a special glint in her eye.

My brother, who was older than I often tormented me, much like any brother would, I suppose. He reminded me quite often however that being the oldest carried with it some privelege. My father felt the same way, and as we grew older, the more rewarding chores were given to my brother.

My father had invested wisely in virtually every profitable commercial venture, and had amassed quite a fortune. Although it had been made clear that my brother would recieve the larger share of it upon father's passing, I was due a rather handsome windfall. Now don't get me wrong, I loved my father very much, and was not eager to see him go. But apparently, since I was not to be seeing any business responsibility as the younger son, I made a proposition to my father.

I proposed to him that since I was not going to be invited to involve myself with his business, I be given my inheritance and be allowed to make my own way in life. After some heated discussion, my father agreed to my plan. He divided up his fortune and gave me slightly less that half of all his worth. Granted, this was quite a sum, but it was all I would ever see from my family. After I was all packed, I headed out the door to the road.

My father had met me in front of the house and asked me one last time not to leave, but I insisted this was the path I needed to take. As I rounded the bend in the road, I saw my father still watching me as I left him.

I finally had settled in a place in town. I made many friends. We found ourselves celebrating anything that came our way. I, of course being the son of the wealthiest man in the land was happy footing the bill for a good time. I even became quite a philanthropist, paying for a friends doctor bill, buying food for the orphanage, even giving assistance to the street people who lived day by day on handouts.

I was quite the man about town, as they say. I even invested in a friends business venture, to help him get his business going. Unfortunately, his business got going right out of town, with my money paying the transportation costs. I would not have been upset about this, but I gave him the last of my money, having spent the rest with little to show for it. I was really depending on that investment paying off.

Shortly thereafter, I found myself out on the street, not being able to pay the rent. It had been a dry, hot summer, and now the rain had flooded the plains. Harvest was bleak. There were many farmers going broke with the loss of their crops. Everyone I had spent money on had vanished into thin air, it seemed. Gone off to find food in another province, or just plain avoiding me. I looked for work, but there were very few jobs available, and my reputation for always seeking a good time had preceded me on many occasions.

Finally, I found a job with a farmer. He offered me a place to sleep, and all the food I could gather for tending to his pigs. I jumped at the chance to regain my footing. What I hadn't realized was that the food I was to gather, was for the pigs. I found myself surviving on corn husks and melon rinds.

Then it dawned on me. Even in the hardest of times, my father's servants had want of nothing. Now I know I had done him wrong. That I had denounced my membership in his family. But maybe, just maybe, he would hire me on as a servant.

It had turned cold. Snow had fallen for several days in a row, but I managed to negotiate the road to my father's estate fairly well. As I rounded the last bend in the road, I saw him.



It was as if my father hadn't moved since I left. As if he were waiting for me. But how could he know I was coming? I hadn't communicated with him since I left seemingly ages ago. I saw him look up, and his head froze as his eyes fell upon me. And oh, what I sight I must have been. I was wearing rags for clothing, dirty from the pig slop, I was quite a mess.

My father rose from his chair in front of his home, I could hear him yelling something, servants running out to recieve his commands. And then he moved toward me. As I got closer, I could see him start to run. I feared he might fall in the treacherous ground, but his step was firm in the snow. When he reached me, he threw his arms around me and hugged me for a very long time. I felt his tears fall to my neck as he kissed me. I tried to pull away from him, I was so unworthy of the love and attention he was paying to me now. I told him so as well. I said "Father, I have wronged you, soiled your name in the city. I have lived the life of shame, and I only want to be one of your servants.

He put a coat over my shoulders, and slipped his ring onto my finger. He didn't have to say it, I knew what he was doing, but he said it anyway, "Welcome home my son!! I am so glad to see you."

Then to the servants that had gathered he ordered, "Go and prepare a celebration. Fix up the best meats, and set the table. My son, who I had given up for dead, is alive. He was lost in his youth, but now he is found!!!" I had never seen my father act so excited. As the servants busied themselves with their tasks, I saw my brother. He wasn't very happy to see me. He told me I had recieved what I had coming to me and now, father had given me more. He had given me his favorite ring, and new clothes. Our father had not shown such gratitude for my brother having remained at his side.

He said that while father was preparing the best cuts of beef for a party because I had returned, he was never even allowed to butcher a lowly goat to have a celebration with is friends.

Father heard this and took him aside. He knew my brother was angry and told him, "You have been with me all this time. I am indeed glad for that. All that I have has always been yours. But your brother was lost, and dead for all we knew. But now he is with us again. I wanted to be strong for you, my son. But now my sorrow is ended and we are once again a family. Therefore, join us in the celebration.

My brother was reluctant at first, but then his joy began to show. He had missed me. After all, the servants would never have allowed him to call them the names he called me. We were reunited as a family, and as a family we all prospered beyond our wildest dreams.

Now, I would like you, the reader to think about something. Put yourself in my place. You had it all at your fingertips, and you squandered it all on materialistic gain. Put, in the place of my father, our Father in heaven.

He loved you when you were in His "family" and offered you everything that was His. You decided to "choose your own path." Sure, you had your reasons. There were many opportunities for you. But honestly, they didn't pan out, did they? Oh, you may have been more successful than I was, but what about on the inside, where only you can see? Remember what it was like when you first felt your Heavenly Father's love fill your heart? Is it still there? It can be.

Or maybe what I am saying to you sounds like gibberish. "Religion is a crutch" you have heard people say. Maybe you have even said it yourself. I don't know. But deep in your heart, in the deep recesses of your mind, you're wondering about that peace that the christians you know have told you about. It can be real, very real. Experiencing that peace can be easy.


Read the following words:
Heavenly Father, I have done you wrong. My life is full of sin. I admit that. I know that Jesus' death paid for my sin. I invite you into my heart, to become a part of my life. I accept the peace that comes with trusting in you, Father.



Now, go back and talk to God using those words. Tell Him about your sins. Don't worry about naming them all. He knows them, but He promised that He'd forget them once He has forgiven you. If you can pray the words above, and honestly seek His forgiveness, He will forgive you, and forget that those sins ever happened.


As the owner of this page, I put this message here to help you get aquainted with your Heavenly Father, and so will I. You can email me at: joereverend@yahoo.com or if you know a christian, tell them about your decision, in fact, tell them whether or not you chose to believe in God today and tell them why the subject came up.

Now, as is my custom, I bless you in the name of our Father in heaven, His Son, Jesus, and The Comfortor, our Teacher, The Holy Spirit. . . Amen.

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