Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

¹ Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.
² And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
³ So he told them this parable:
¹¹ And he said, “There was a man who had two sons;
¹² and the younger of them said to his father, `Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.’ And he divided his living between them.
<sup>13</sup> Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living.
<sup>14</sup> And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want.
<sup>15</sup> So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine.
<sup>16</sup> And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything.
<sup>17</sup> But when he came to himself he said, `How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger!
¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;
¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.”‘
²⁰ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
²¹ And the son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
<sup>22</sup> But the father said to his servants, `Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet;
²³ and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry;
²⁴ for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to make merry.
²⁵ ”Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
²⁶ And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant.
²⁷ And he said to him, `Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’
<sup>28</sup> But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him,
<sup>29</sup> but he answered his father, `Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends.
³⁰ But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!’
³¹ And he said to him, `Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
³² It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”