Jesus and the Prodigal Son

Overview

“Brian Pierce’s reflections on Jesus will enable the reader to appreciate the scandalous reality of Jesus’s identification with those who were lost, with sinners, with the Prodigal Son.” —Albert Nolan, author, Jesus Today

The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk.15:11-32) is undoubtedly one of the most beloved stories of scripture. In this imaginative and moving work, Brian J. Pierce brings a startling perspective to the familiar story. Starting with the words of the father in the parable, “This son of mine was dead and is alive again,” Fr. Pierce imagines the parable as a commentary on the story of Jesus himself, who entered into the world of suffering and sin to bring the good news of God’s radical mercy. After carrying out this mission to the point of death, he was raised again and returned to the Father.

While shedding new light on the gospel, this work bears implications for a church called to enter compassionately into the world of those on the margins.

Brian J. Pierce, a Dominican priest, is former Promotor of the Dominican Family in Latin America and the Caribbean and Assistant to the Master of the Order for the Contemplative Nuns of the Order. He has returned to full-time itinerant preaching. He is the author of We Walk the Path Together: Learning from Thich Nhat Hanh and Meister Eckhart.