Carol M. Norén - "Never the Same" (March 5, 1989)

The open endedness of this parable forces us to reckon with the demands that reconciliation places on our lives. While the father's love is expressed with open arms, truly accepting that love requires that both sons change in fundamental ways the way they see themselves and one another. So too for us, reconciliation demands that we see God, ourselves, and the entire human family differently. (Abstract created by Duke Divinity School staff.)

Key quotation: “This parable of divine love cuts across all our assumptions and prejudices and ways of doing business, and says, if you come to yourself, as the text puts it, and respond to God’s gracious welcome, your life will be qualitatively different. Taking your place at the table of the Lord means a fundamental change in the way you understand God and yourself and the rest of the human family.”