**Parable of the Prodigal Father**

**Parable of the Prodigal Father**

“There was a man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father pay off the Senior Director of the Water Polo Department and send me to USC where I can obtain career credentials.’

So the father contacted William “Rick” Singer and paid the commission.

After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to USC where spent his father’s endless financial allowance on a life of dissipation.

When he had freely spent everything, a severe financial crisis hit the university and threatened to defund the LGBTQ studies program, and the college president found himself in dire need.

So he hired himself out to the wealthy parents who sent him to gala events to raise money. And he longed to spend weekends with his wife and family, but every weekend was filled. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my students have more than enough food, drink, and parties, but here am I, dying from fundraising. I shall get up and go to the parents and I shall say to them, “Parents, you have failed the university of your children and you know longer deserve to be called mom and dad. Finance us as you financed your children.”

So the son got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with guilt. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, “Father, you have sinned against me and my university; you no longer deserve to be called my father.”

But his father ordered his accountants, “Quickly write a million dollar check and give it to him; put a signed blank check in his wallet and another million in his bank account. Call the university development office with a pledge. Then let us celebrate with a gala all-star fundraiser for USC, because this son of mine was underfunded, and has come to life again;

he was underfunded, and now is fully funded .”

Then the celebration began.

Now the older son had been out in the law office and, on his way back, as he neared the country club, he heard the sound of music and dancing.

He called one of the accountants and asked what this might mean. The accountant said to him, “Your brother has returned and your father has emptied his investment portfolio because he has him back safe and sound.”

He became angry, and when he refused to enter the country club, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, “Look, all these years I lied for you and not once were you subpoenaed; yet you never gave me your top models from Victoria Secret to party with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with college costs, for him you sponsor a gala fundraising event.”

He said to him, “My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours, including our broken marriages. But now we must celebrate and rejoice because your brother ran out of money and I have proved that I am worthy of him; I was lost and now I have been found.”