tarted to say, 'I
have sinned, and I am not worthy to be your son.' But his father
called out to a servant: 'Bring the best clothes in the house, and
shoes for my boy's feet. Then kill the fattest calf we have, and get a
feast ready. My son is back, and we are going to celebrate!'

"Meanwhile, the older brother was out in the field. When he came home,
he heard music and dancing in the house. He asked a servant why they
were having a party. When he was told, he became very angry. He would
not even go into the house. When his father came out to ask him to
join the party, the older brother said: 'All these years I have stayed
at home and helped you! I did everything you told me to. In all that
time you never once gave me a party. But when my brother comes back
from spending your money--why, nothing is too good for him!'

"But the father answered him kindly. 'Son,' he said, 'you are always
with me, and everything I have is yours. It is right that we should
celebrate, and be happy. For it is as if your brother had been dead,
and now he is alive again. He was lost, and now he is found.'"

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

The days went by. Some days were good, and some were bad. Once in a
while Jesus would find somebody who seemed to understand him and
believe in him. Then again it would seem that he was failing in what
he tried to do.

The time he healed the Roman officer's servant was one of the good
days. Jesus was just coming back to Capernaum after preaching out in
the country, when this officer approached him. Although he was a
Roman, and the captain of a company of Roman soldiers, this man was
well liked in Capernaum. For he had built the Jews a synagogue, and
everyone knew that he loved the Jewish people.

He came to Jesus, and said, "Lord, my servant is lying at home, very
sick and suffering greatly."

Jesus replied at once, "I will come and heal him."

But the officer shook his head.

"Lord," he said, "I am not worthy that you should come into my house.
Just speak a word, standing here, and that will heal my servant. You
see, I have an army under me. I say to a soldier, 'Come here,' and he
comes. I tell my servant to do something, and he does it right away.
You have that kind of power too. You just have to say that my servant
shall be healed, and he _will_ be healed."

Jesus was joyful when he heard these words. To those who were standing
around he said:

"I tell you, I have not found among the Jewish