“Love Doesn’t Always Win”

(Luke 15:11–24)
¹¹ Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.
¹² The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
¹³ Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
¹⁷ When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’
²⁰ So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
²¹ The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
²² But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.
²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”

(Luke 16:25–32)
²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.
²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
²⁸ The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.
²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
³¹ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

(1^st Corinthians 13:4–8)
⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
⁵ It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails.