Le Retour du fils prodigue. Méditations devant un tableau de Rembrandt

I’ve read a lot of Nouwen, but the way he ties the painting’s details to his own spiritual struggles made this feel like a personal retreat rather than just a commentary. The section on the elder son hit me harder than I expected.

I’ve reread the section on the father’s hands maybe five times now—each time it hits differently, like he’s talking straight to my own waiting heart. The way he ties Rembrandt’s painting to his personal struggle makes the parable feel less like a story and more like a mirror.

The way Nouwen breaks down the three phases of the prodigal son story using Rembrandt’s painting has given me a fresh perspective I’ve never had before. I keep coming back to his personal reflections, which make the biblical lesson feel deeply relatable.