Henri Nouwen, an ex professor of the Harvard University wrote about his personal spiritual journey based on his meditations on the painting: “The Return of the Prodigal Son” by Rembrandt.
The story started at the end of 1983 in Trosly, a town in France, where Nouwen spent a time in a refuge for mental patients, in order to meditate about his sense of living.
His time there confronted him to his personal emptiness for love, to his frustrations for establishing authentic relationships with people, and his ambiguity about his vocation. Nouwen related his spiritual journey with the characters of the Rembrandt´s painting, and their relationships among them.
The professor affirms that God wants all people do a personal journey from being the young son (one who seeks auto gratification promoted by the consumerist society), or the older son (who acts distant and critic). The goal is becoming a spiritual father for others (one with open arms that forgive).
However, there are two real things: (1) We behave as the young son or the older one; and (2) There is pressure at church and in the society for keeping us to be dependent children.
God is calling us to be spiritual fathers. That call leads us to live with compassion in our daily life. His desire is that you and I offer the same compassion that he offers us, which is the core of the Gospel: to turns to be in his image… the last step of the personal journey.
Hence the journey turns to be in leaving the child condition and turns to be a father for others, which is a conscious decision.
Which are the characteristics of a spiritual father?
• One who welcome
• One who forgive
• Generous
• Merciful
Definitely, becoming a spiritual father for others is being a responsible adult. It is being merciful as our Father is merciful (Luke 6:36). Here we have an invitation for being as God, to be merciful as he is.
Reference: The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming. Henri J. M. Nouwen.
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