We all know the famous parable of the prodigal son found in Luke 15:11-32.

A quick refresher: Jesus tells the story of a father with two sons. The younger son leaves home, squanders his wealth, and winds up returning with regret. His father forgives him and throws a party — a sign of enduring, unconditional love that his son has come home.

When the New York Giants signed free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. this offseason, I immediately thought, “Wow, the prodigal son is returning.”

However, when I gave it some more thought — and in speaking to lifelong Big Blue aficionado Father Ralph Edel — I realized that Beckham is not the prodigal son but that the team’s loyal fanbase is the father, accepting one of their own with the warmest of welcomes despite what happened in the past.

The veteran Beckham, now 33, snuck his way onto the Giants’ 53-man roster. He may have lost a step or two from his former explosive talent, but the former No. 12 overall draft pick in 2014 out of Louisiana State University brings experience, mentoring, and a little energy left in the tank to provide an outside weapon for second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart.

Father Edel, who is now pastor of St. Ephrem, Dyker Heights, recalls being skeptical of drafting a wide receiver so high in the draft.

“I remember not being a big fan of taking wide receivers,” he said. “We had a history of Victor Cruz being undrafted. Amani Toomer wasn’t a big draft pick. We signed Plaxico Burress. So our best receivers in franchise history were not people that we drafted particularly high.”

Even after missing the first four games of his rookie year, Beckham then burst onto the scene, displaying a playmaking ability that was off the charts. Despite missing time, he was still named to the NFL’s All-Rookie Team and selected as the Associated Press and Pro Football Writers Association Offensive Rookie of the Year.

“You realize that Beckham is someone the other team has to start talking about on a Monday to get ready for Sunday,” Father Edel said.

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For a few seasons, Beckham was easily among the best receivers in football. Yet sometimes his on-the-field antics marred his image. Especially in New York City, athletes’ behavior is viewed under a close microscope. Still, the fans loved him because he could flip a game upside down with one touch of the ball.

“What I was always impressed with was that he could do something on the field like a flag and frustrate everybody, and then he’d come back the next play and do something spectacular,” Father Edel said.

Following the 2018 season, the Giants were at a crossroads. Aging quarterback Eli Manning was not the same two-time-winning Super Bowl champion, and the team’s offensive line was in disarray. The Giants shipped Beckham to the Cleveland Browns — shocking the Big Blue faithful but also helping them understand that it just wasn’t going to work out here.

“We weren’t ready for him,” Father Edel said. “When you talk about building a football team, you build from the lines out. The lines were a disaster; the coaching staff was a disaster; Eli was on his last legs. From a team-building perspective, it made sense for him to go.

“When he left the first time, it was sad to see him go, because we were still letting go someone who was at the peak of his physical prowess.”

Injuries started to plague Beckham during his time with the Browns. He wound up on the Los Angeles Rams and played a critical role in the first half of Super Bowl LVI until another injury sidelined him for the rest of the game. He then bounced around to the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins before heading back to his original home.

So, revisiting the prodigal son. Once again, it’s not Beckham. He didn’t willingly leave with his riches; he was traded at a time that felt right for the organization’s long-term future.

However, when the preseason began, the fans embraced him as if he had never left. Sound familiar?

“The fit of the prodigal son is really more of the love that the fans have for him,” Father Edel said. “He came on the field for that first preseason game, and they lost their minds. Every time he comes out for practice, everybody is very excited to see him. Fans are still wearing his jersey.

“This has always been his home. This has always been the place that loved him first. That first love is a love that endures. The fans loved him, and they appreciated that he loved it here.”

So, Giants fan: Go slaughter your fattened calf! Beckham is back, and even if he’s not the same superstar he once was, you can tell this return is meaningful to him, and hopefully that shows up on Sundays.