The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming

The Return of the Prodigal Son is Henri Nouwen's deeply personal meditation on the parable recorded in Luke 15. By attending to the younger son, the elder son, and the father, he shows how rebellion and resentment can both keep a person from receiving love.

Nouwen's reflections move beyond abstract teaching into self-examination and spiritual formation. The book helps readers name the ways they seek approval, compare themselves with others, or resist mercy, then points them toward the freedom of being welcomed and becoming people who welcome others.