Word to the Wise
Sunday, September 28, 2014 - 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
[Ezek 18:25-28; Phil 2:1-11 or 2:1-5; Matt 21:28-32]"Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. When John came 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 in him." [Matt]
The chief priests and the elders would not have appreciated being placed behind tax collectors and prostitutes. They would have been more like Mrs. Ruby Turpin in Flannery O'Connor's famous short story, REVELATION, in which this lady had an exaggerated notion of her righteousnessand a poor opinion of others' status, only to receive a vision in which her "kind" were last in line for the kingdom, with even their "virtues" being burned away.
The chief priests and tax collectors would not have appreciated being compared to the two sons in the parable Jesus uses in today's gospel. They are clearly the second son, who claimed publicly he would do God's will but later did not. They were confident of their superior status in the eyes of God, and equally confident of the poor status of tax collectors and prostitutes. Like Ruby Turpin, there was a hard lesson ahead to learn. Jesus warns them that the last shall be first and the first shall be last. Where are we in the line? AMEN