From Luke 15.1-3, 11-32 comes the story Jesus tells to sum up the whole story of what he’s doing: the Parable of the Prodigal Son. The parable shows us the different roles we take on in making our way back home to God. Like the prodigal son, we’re disciples on a journey. Like the Father, we can be advocates who help and celebrate others. Or like the older brother, we can be adversaries who reject others. At the start of this new year, can we risk expecting that God will not only welcome us home in forgiveness, but also do a second work of grace to begin to heal, transform, and restore us to our full identity as children of God?