Word to the Wise
Tuesday, December 15, 2020 - 3rd Week of Advent - Tues
[Zeph 3:1-2, 9-13 and Matt 21:28-32]“Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.” [Matthew]
These words of Jesus are set in the last days of his life. They are addressed to some very important people – the chief priests and elders of the people. Jesus contrasts them in a parable of two sons who are asked by their father to do something. One of them said, “Ni sir!” but later changed his mind and did the job. The other one said, “Yes sir!” but did not do the job. Jesus asks which son is the better one. The answer from the audience is that the one who changed his mind was the better one. Jesus accuses them of being the ones, who by their position should know that he is the Messiah, of being the son who says “Yes sir” to God but refuse to accept the one whom God has sent. They rejected John the Baptist and they rejected Jesus. The ones who did believe were the ones the chief priests and elders also rejected as being tax collectors and sinners.
The challenge in this gospel scene to us who live 2000+ years later is to ask ourselves about our own acceptance of Jesus. Are we devoted to “Baby Jesus” but not to what he will ask of us when he grows up? Are we part of a devotional faith that excludes the “tax collectors and prostitutes?” The announcement of Jesus’ birth, in the story from the Gospel According to Luke, was initially made to some shepherds. Shepherds were not romantic figures in Jesus’ day! They would have been classified by the chief priests and elders with the tax collectors and sinners!
The story of Jesus’ birth, represented in that nativity scene, includes the WHOLE gospel. That baby and those shepherds and pagan Magi show us the challenge of conversion. If we follow the star we should be ready to accept what we find. AMEN
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