Today’s gospel, the beloved parable of the Prodigal Son. Typical focus is on the remorse of the Prodigal and the mercy of his father. But the context of the story—the muttering of the “ teachers of the law,” scandalized by Jesus’ welcome to sinners, reveals a deeper purpose.
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Their counterpart is the “elder son” who resents the abundance of the Father’s love. Thus, the story has a more polemical edge. Its message not directed so much at sinners, assuring them of God’s love—but against the righteous, religious people who draw a circle around God’s love
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That circle would include themselves but exclude everyone else. Jesus does not exclude them: “You are always with me.” But how can he fail to rejoice that one who was dead has come back to life? There are many things to be indignant about. God’s mercy is not one of them.
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I appreciate this memorial about my father by @ggrenwald above any I have read today--for his comprehensive review of his bio & history, for his attention to themes generally overlooked about his post-Vietnam life, but particularly for deep appreciation of his human qualities.🙏
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Here's my @RollingStone article on Daniel Ellsberg, the heroic Pentagon Papers leaker who died today at 92:
"We’re Told Never to Meet Our Childhood Heroes. Knowing Daniel Ellsberg Proved That Wrong"
rollingstone.com/politics/polit
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