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.” (Lk 15:1-3, 11-32)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/033025-YearC.cfm
The Parable of the Prodigal Son is best understood in the context where the gospel writer puts it: the Eating and Drinking with Sinners. The charge against Jesus, welcoming sinners and eating with them, is one of the earliest memories we have of the Eucharist. Who is welcome at the Table has become a burning question in some church circles, but Jesus answered that question long ago.
These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Sunday IV, Lent
