Today’s Gospel:  Matthew 21:28-32

REFLECTION
The illustration in today’s Gospel was spoken by Jesus to the same people who had already questioned the authority of the Lord. When the Jewish leaders seemed dumbfounded by the skillfulness of the Lord, He began to present a disguised sermon! He spoke of a father who had two sons. Both boys had glib tongues and strange personalities! One boy was very rude and abrupt and refused vehemently to work in the father’s vineyard. Yet afterward he had a change of heart and did what previously he had refused to do. The second son, receiving the same commission, respectfully agreed with his father’s plan, but for reasons unknown, refrained from doing what he had promised. “He answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.” It might have been that he had every intention of fulfilling his promise to the father, but something hindered him. On the other hand, he could have been hypocritical, promising to do something he had every wish to avoid.

Christ might have had both the Jews and Gentiles in mind when He told this story. The Gentiles who served pagan gods had no desire to worship the God of the Israelites, but afterwards became His most untiring workers. The Jews who professed to be the servants of God had no intention nor desire to obey Him. Jesus might also be thinking of publicans and harlots, who by their lifestyle seemed remote from serving the Lord. Later, when they were converted they became the most ardent workers in His vineyard. The Jews who resisted Christ continually, in spite of their professed piety, were unwilling to observe anything He suggested.

When Jesus asked, “Whether of the twain did the will of his father?” the listeners replied, “The first,” and it would appear that they did not know He was describing them. It was for this reason He continued to say, “Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” He was comparing Mary Magdalene, Zaccheus, and others with the proud arrogant rulers from the temple. They appeared to be consecrated people but were not. The publicans, sinners, and harlots appeared to be sinful, and they were, but their desire for sin was overtaken by devotion to the Savior. The teaching of Christ was almost revolutionary, for He taught realities. God was concerned only with what men were; holiness was better than theological precepts or book knowledge; repentance was far more to be desired than empty profession. The law taught man’s actions were paramount, but Christ said a man’s character was more important. To occupy places of prominence in the church could be meaningless unless the person exhibited holiness. To be a converted outcast, sincerely trying to reach higher standards of morality, always had precedence over the disappointing superficial profession of pretentious persons.

Today’s Reading:  Phil 2:1-11

PRAYER
Lord, if we have been professing obedience to you but not acting on it, please correct us.  And strip away all our excuses for not doing what pleases you and honors you. In Jesus’ Name we pray.  Amen.