Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen
to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain,
saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with
them.” So to them Jesus addressed this parable: “A man had
two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father give
me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the
father divided the property between them. After a few days,
the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a
distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a
life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a
severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in
dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed
to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody
gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many
of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food
to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and
go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned
against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be
called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired
316 March 30
workers.” ’ So he 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 compassion. He ran to his son, embraced
him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have
sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve
to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring
on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf
and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because
this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was
lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. Now
the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back,
as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and
dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this
might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has
returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out
and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look,
all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your
orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on
with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed
up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the
fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me
always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate
and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has
come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ ”

The Gospel of the Lord.