Wastefully Extravagant !!!!

Below you’ll find the Parable of the Prodigal Son.. a rewrite that was released in 2020 just for you! I mean us 21st century people!

Then he said, “A man had two sons, and the younger son who’d soon be off to start his first semester at St. John’s University said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your savings that should come to me.’ And in an instant, the money was divided between the two sons.

Within a few days before move-in day, the younger son collected all of his belongings and set off on his college journey, where he squandered his father’s life savings on a life of drinking, drugs, partying and pledging.

When the fifteen-week semester had come to an end, he found himself in dire need because he was on probation. He barely maintained eligibility because of the D’s he earned in all of his courses.  He desperately sought advice from one of the advisors in the University Learning Commons (ULC) who sent him to their office to attend to his academic standing.

He longed to receive assistance from his advisor, even escalating his concerns to the dean of undergraduate and graduate divisions, but nobody offered any.

Coming to his senses, he decided to go to his father and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.’

So, he left campus and drove back to his father. Approaching the driveway, his father caught sight of him through the kitchen window and was filled with compassion. Without even letting his son exit the vehicle, he jumped into the passenger seat and kissed him.

His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’

But his father welcomed him back home with open arms and stated that it was a learning experience and that he’d continue to pay his college tuition, the cost of room and board, supplies and other fees. He quickly called family members and neighbors and insisted  that they bring their bathing suits and sunscreen to celebrate with a pool party, because ‘this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ Then the celebration began.

Now the older son had been out on a business trip three days before and, as the taxi that picked him up from JFK Airport neared his house, he heard the sound of music and water splashing. He noticed his uncle exiting the backyard and approached him asking what this might mean.

His uncle said to him, ‘Your brother has returned from his first semester at St John’s University and your father is hosting a pool party because he has him back safe and sound.’

He became livid, and when he refused to enter the backyard, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I obeyed by your rules. I attended school close to home, made it on the dean’s list, achieved academic success and didn’t splurge my portion of your savings on drugs, females, and partying, or the other havoc your son participated in. Yet, you never threw me a party for graduating Magna Cum Laude and for working at one of the top business firms in NYC.  

But when your son swallowed up your hard-earned money with his foolishness and childish ways, you rejoice and host a party.’ He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always, everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead, and he has come to life again: he was lost and has been found’”.