Article June 23, 1928 Issue

He Arose and Went

KATHERINE PUFFER

Jesus once chose to tell a simple tale of human mistake and depravity, repentance and reform, in order that he might make plain to mortals the fact of Mind's ever-presence and its ability to "save them to the uttermost." Sinful, sick, homeless, alone, the prodigal son heard the admonition of good, which awakened him to a better sense; whereupon he said, "I will arise and go to my father." Acting upon this true impulse, he arose and went straight to his father's house, and sought entrance there, not as a son but as a servant. Moreover, the narrative says that he "came to his father."

There is in each human heart a something we have generally termed conscience, a tendency that makes for good, an urge to better living, to right doing. Spasmodically, sometimes, one has resolved to follow this divine impulse, has resolved to do better—to turn over a new leaf, as one may call it; and he may have endeavored to do so; but ere long the entangling mesmerism of wrong desire, uncurbed passions, indulged appetites, has turned him aside from his right purpose, and he soon lapses into the old way of thinking and doing: he leaves the straight path to the Father's house. Discouragement and despair seem to silence the voice of conscience. Herein is the young man of the parable to be commended; for, having turned from his mistaken way, he continued in his effort to reform, and came to his home. And what a welcome he received! More than he asked, or thought, was given him.

A careful reading of the simple narrative will show that what really occurred was a change in the prodigal's thinking. He had sounded the depths of human woe; he had heard the voice of good, had awakened to a desire for better living, and in humiliy and obedience had yielded his thought to the healing touch of divine Love, his heavenly Father. He arose and went. Furthermore, he kept going, with his face toward the father's house. His thought was not occupied with what his father ought to do for him, his son. He was not blaming his father because he had left him and fallen into such a plight. Note his humility, his repentance! Had his thought been occupied with excuses he might make to justify his deplorable state, it is possible that he would have turned from the straight path and failed to reach home—the consciousness of Love; neither would he have heard the glad welcome of the Father's voice. It is helpful, too, to note that the home, the love, the welcome were his all the time, even when he believed himself to be sinful and starving. Self-mesmerism blinded him to all that was rightly his—home, friends, happiness.

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