“[The elder son said,] ‘But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!'” – Luke 15:30

This agreement is between [REDACTED], the head of the family, hereafter called PROGENITOR, and [REDACTED], the elder child of the family, hereafter called HEIR.

PROGENITOR agrees that HEIR will be the sole heir to PROGENITOR’s property, and that no other living family members will have further claim upon PROGENITOR’s property at the time of PROGENITOR’s death.

PROGENITOR agrees that HEIR will have appropriate access to PROGENITOR’s property during PROGENITOR’s lifetime, including appropriate board and housing. “Appropriate” will include no less than two and no more than five larger events for HEIR and HEIR’s friends to celebrate each year.

HEIR agrees to labor on the property as directed by PROGENITOR unless PROGENITOR’s directions are to the detriment of the property. Disagreements as to welfare of the property will be resolved by discussion between HEIR and PROGENITOR and will not be referred to any other living family member.

HEIR agrees that the ring, clothing, and foodstuffs provided by PROGENITOR to a living family member have been provided and do not need to be restored to the estate.

HEIR consents to come to the celebration for the recently returned living family member. HEIR promises to speak and act according to common standards of politeness.

HEIR makes no promises about honest celebration.

PROGENITOR agrees to accept HEIR’s appearance at face value and make no further attempts to further relationships with any other living family member.

Signed: ____________________________________ _______________________________________

Note:

This agreement was never signed. The draft bears a hand-written note that says, “Let’s talk. Dad.”

A poem/prayer/contract based on Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32, the Revised Common Lectionary Gospel Reading for Year C, Fourth Sunday in Lent. 

The image is a photo of L’Enfant prodigue, a sculpture by Félix-Alexandre Desruelles (1889). Photo by Sebastien Dusart – https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdusart/6785594060/in/set-72157630752173188/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30424005.