Disciples look to God as their Father

¹¹Then Jesus said, “A man had two sons. ¹²The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them. ¹³After a few days, the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth with a wild lifestyle. ¹⁴Then after he had spent everything, a severe famine took place in that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵So he went and worked for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶He was longing to eat the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. ¹⁷But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger! ¹⁸I will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired workers.”’ ²⁰So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him. ²¹Then his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²²But the father said to his slaves, ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe, and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! ²³Bring the fattened calf and kill it! Let us eat and celebrate, ²⁴because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again—he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.