Like many parishes, St. Richard's tries very hard to be a welcoming place, a place where people can find a home, a community, a sense of belonging. Most of the time we do a pretty-good job of it, too, which is great. The greeters at Mass, the ushers, the general attitude of the congregation-- all combine to create that welcoming atmosphere. Why do we do that? Why is it important? Part of the reason, I suppose, is that Jesus did that sort of thing. We read in today's Gospel (Lk 15: 1-3, 11-32), in the part that sets up Jesus' wonderful parable of the prodigal son, that the Pharisees complained about Jesus in that He welcomes sinners and eats with them. We see as well that Jesus' welcoming seems to have been working, since the "tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus." So, we welcome because Jesus welcomed. But that just leads to the next question, which is why did Jesus welcome? Why did He particularly welcome "sinners"? He came for everyone, right, so why the particular emphasis on just some people, the "sinners"? I think maybe the answer lies in a lesson I was fortunate enough to learn years ago, when I was on the board of the United Way of Minneapolis. Back at that time there were serious issues that came to light with the national United Way organization, involving how money was being spent. People here were very upset, and many wanted to stop giving money to the national organization, at least until they cleaned up their act. I was someone who advocated that approach. But wiser heads pointed out that if we did that, we'd lose all our ability to direct the solution. We'd lose our seat at the table. "You have to stay connected if you want to be part of the solution," they said. They were right, of course, and we continued to give money to the national organization and folks from the Twin Cities were able to help right the ship at the national level. Maybe that's why we, and Jesus, need to be especially welcoming to "sinners." (I have to keep putting quotes around that word since we are all sinners, but we're talking here about people in particularly difficult situations, maybe even estranged from God.) We can't be part of the solution unless we're connected with the problem. Tempting as it is to write off people or situations as beyond redemption, that isn't the message of today's Gospel, and that isn't welcoming sinners. Nor is it what Jesus did or preached. Nor is it what works. There is also a broader implication in the notion of staying connected with those most in need so we can be part of the solution. I hear people ask all the time why we should stay connected with the Church in these difficult times. The answer is that we need to "welcome" the Church in its current state of difficulty-- to stay connected with the problem-- if we are going to be part of the solution. After all, there is institutional sin just as much as there is individual sin. Can we be the source of welcome, not just to individuals in need of compassion and a sense of God's love, but also to an institution sorely in need of redemption?