Word to the Wise
Sunday, October 1, 2023 - 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 him."
These words of Jesus follow the parable of the two sons who are asked by their father to go and work in the vineyard. The first one says, "No Sir!" but later changes his mind and goes to work. The second says, "Yes Sir!" but never goes. Jesus asks the audience who are the Chief Priests and Elders of the people which son did the Father's will? Here, scripture scholars argue about the answer because of some disagreements in the manuscript tradition!!! In Jewish society of the time, it would be shameful to say "No Sir" to one's father. Even if the son changed his mind, he dishonored his father by initially saying, "No!" So, some scholars say that the evangelist changed things to make the point about a failure on the part of Jewish leadership to respond both to John the Baptist and to Jesus. It was the basis of Jesus' complaints about the leadership. They preached but they did not practice.
Conversion is more than changing from one religious tradition to another. It is a way of life. We may go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation with particular sins in mind, but not with any notion that an entire change of attitude and life may be necessary if we want to avoid those particular sins! The chief priests and elders rejected Jesus and John's preaching because it would mean a big change in their way of living. In our own time, we might use the term "lip service" to describe a person who professes but does not practice. Maybe "hypocrite" would come to mind. What is at issue is not just individual failures, but the orientation behind those failures. The first son in the parable may have said NO to begin with, but his fundamental attitude turns him around and sends him to the vineyard. The second son "saves face" but his fundamental attitude is disobedience. Where are we? And why? AMEN
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