I was disappointed because I thought this was supposed to be Nouwens best work. It's basically Nouwen placing his past experiences on the painting and deciding for himself what Rembrandt was feeling when he painted the Prodigal Son. I did get some good thoughts out of the book but probably wouldn't recommend it to someone.

This is a book to read more than once, to savor and cherish.

a really good (and challenging) reflection on this oft-told parable. i am super glad it made it home from new orleans!

So this was my second time reading this book in about five months and I was still absolutely blown away by it. Henri Nouwen is so so good at writing. He understands the human condition so well and is open about his own issues in a way that makes you feel like he knows exactly what you are thinking/feeling. Honestly this book is a challenge, not a challenge to be a better person or to work harder, but a challenge to give up on our endless and exhausting desires to be accepted and loved by the world. Nouwen dares us, through a reflection on the parable of the prodigal son and Rembrandt’s painting of the same parable, to cast aside our constant efforts to be enough and to instead embrace a love so radical and unconditional that we cannot fully comprehend it. He dares us to rid ourselves of our limited human perspective on the topic of love and instead take on God’s perspective. A perspective where everyone is uniquely yet fully loved, where all our needs are provided for, and where there is no competition or jealously because God has more than enough for everyone.

I slowly chewed through this, as there are so many dense morsels to savour!! An encapsulating, challenging, and revealing spiritual portrait.

A rich reflection that goes deep but is still quite accessible.

Didn't actually finish - think I would like it much better at a different time, or if I was in a better mood to read it. As it is, I've got too many other books on my plate right now that I'm trying to get down, and this one just didn't cut it priority-wise for the time being.

(p.s. I normally LOVE Nouwen.)

Simple, approachable, creative theology that encourages us to see God in all parts of our world, especially art. I loved this re-examine on the story of the lost son.