Ballad of the Prodigal Son
Medical Mission Sisters Lyrics

There was a man and he had two sons,
Once there was a man with two sons.

the younger one was but a boy,
The younger son was still quite young.

when he asked for his inheritance
He requested his share of the father's property.

that he might enjoy,
With the intent to revel in the pleasures of life.

what life had to offer,
He wanted to experience all that life had in store.

and he left his homeland.
In pursuit of his dreams and desires, he left his home and family.

The father waited, alleluia.
The father eagerly anticipated his return with joy and hope, praising God.

The father waited, the days were long,
The father anxiously waited, passing the days in prolonged anticipation.

his faith grew deeper and his love grew stronger,
Despite the long wait, his faith and love for his son grew stronger.

alleluia, alleluia.
The father offered praise and thanksgiving to God for the impending reunion.

The boy went wild, his ways were free.
The younger son indulged in wild and reckless behavior, living a life of excess and liberation.

He squandered all his property.
He wasted all of his inheritance in frivolous spending.

Then one day, there came a famine,
Eventually, a famine struck the land.

and he knew want,
He experienced deprivation, poverty, and need.

and he knew hunger,
He was familiar with the pangs of hunger and starvation.

and he was lonely.
Amidst his suffering, he was also isolated and alone.

The boy cried out: "I'm feeding swine,
Humbled by his dire circumstances, he found himself reduced to feeding pigs.

while my father's house abounds with wine.
He realized the abundance and prosperity of his father's estate, in contrast to his own destitution.

I will go home to my father,
Acknowledging his error, he resolved to return to his father's home.

and I will say
He planned to confess and repent for his actions.

I am unworthy,
He recognized the depth of his transgressions and felt undeserving of mercy.

to be called a son."
He didn't believe he deserved to be considered a member of the family.

The boy returned to his father's land.
After some time had passed, the son made his way back home.

He longed to be but a hired hand.
He only wished to be given the opportunity to serve his father as a hired worker.

Far across the vacant valley,
From a distance, across the empty expanse of land, the father spotted his son.

the father saw,
The father noticed, anticipating his son's imminent return.

his son returning,
He observed his son's approach, recognizing him from afar.

and he ran to meet him.
Eagerly and joyfully, the father rushed to greet his lost son.

"It is my son, alleluia!
Ecstatically, the father rejoiced, crying out in praise and thanksgiving to God.

Kill the fatted calf, bring the golden ring,
To celebrate his son's return, he ordered a feast and gifts.

fetch the finest robe, make merry and sing.
He called for festive attire and encouraged everyone to enjoy and celebrate the moment.

My son who was dead is alive,
The father declared how he had thought his son was lost, but now he was found and rejoiced.

who was lost has been found, alleluia.
Praising God for the return of his son, he repeated his joy and gratitude.

My seed has fallen on fertile ground,
He acknowledged how his son had been transformed, renewed, and had flourished in his time away.

alleluia, alleluia!"
Repeating his praise and thanksgiving to God, the father rejoiced in the joyous occasion.