11 Sofia continued, “there was a daughter, one of several children, born to a kind mother and ambitious father. 12 She was a gentle daughter of artistic nature, studying and working obediently as the family business grew in the prosperous economy, never asking for wealth or reward, being of good cheer.
13 Coming of age, the daughter travelled to a distant university, assured the education her father dreamed for her would give tools needed for future prosperity. 14 Paying her way through school, the daughter spent all monies she’d saved working young in her father’s business; but upon graduation, financial markets roared bringing confusion, depression and rising prices to all. 15 The daughter’s education had transformed and impoverished her, in her despair, she hired herself out to her father, assured of prosperity and blessing. 16 The daughter longed for her father to see the State of the World, the climate fury, the ravaged poor and herself, but he hardened his heart, festering in wealthy-mindedness and conspiracy in the throes of environmental catastrophe.
17 After many years, the poor daughter came to her senses, thinking ‘with how much I’ve given him, served his faith, his business, wealth, his disgusts, I must have my own life.’ 18 So she set out to create her own home; but her father was jealous and judgmental of her artistic nature, accusing her of being undetermined for her slowness to understand money, and lazy for her failings at businessmanship in the faltering economy. 19 He demeaned his daughter’s endeavors, offering encouragement only as tactic to push her into his legacy, declaring his faith, wealth and charity proof of superior life choices. 20 After many arguments, the daughter decided to quit permanently, agreeing to a final job in a far location.
21 Leaving well before sunrise to arrive early, the daughter strapped her weighty tools to her back and walked for hours in darkness, only dangerous and narrow paths leading to the isolated job. With her father near in sight, the daughter accidentally tripped, losing her footing, the heavy tools rolling into a bog, her knee smashing hard on stone.
22 The daughter called to her father far in the distance, unable to walk on wounded knee, 23 ‘I have fallen and cannot come to you, the tools have drowned in a bog.’ 24 From afar, the wealthy father sneered in doubt, angry the final job with his daughter was ruined, unwilling to believe her bloody stumble and loss of tool. So he turned from his poor daughter and did the job himself, taking all reward.
25 Meanwhile, near the wealthy father’s home, his other children packed their belongings, moving far from him. 26 Having recovered, the poor daughter met her brother who’d lived loyally at her father’s side for many years, to ask of the changes. 27 ‘The world is transformed,’ the devoted brother grieved, ‘and I can only live in squalor outside the neighborhood of our wealthy father, who has many homes, but I must find at least one for my family.’
28 The devoted son recalled how his decision to leave stirred their wealthy father to offer property from his abundance; so long as he didn’t move far. 29 But after years of gilded assurances and faithfully serving close at hand, the devoted son was bewildered by his wealthy father’s last-minute aid, instead looking to more hopeful prospects further away. 30 Having never worked in an era of affluence, the devoted son and poor daughter reflected on the tattered world left them; the difficulty of providing for loving families, the worry of fires and storms swirling near, and especially, of elderly hardness and its attachment to reckless greed.
31 ’Devoted brother, please remember,’ the poor daughter warned lastly of her wealthy father, ‘a serpent thrown to a pile of coin will twist itself tightly around them, biting poison if you dare reach for gold. 32 But we need not mourn and be sad for the wealthy-minded, our father is cold with coin yes, but we love each other warmly still; he’s alone, detached in divine light, we are grounded, earthy, and enriched together.’