Parable of Two Sons: The Challenge of Redirecting Our Lives

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Readings: Ez 18:25-28; Phil 2:1-11; Matt 21:28-32 October 1, 2023

Gospel Summary:

In today’s Gospel (Mt 21: 28-32) Jesus tells the story of two sons who were asked by their father to go out and work in the vineyard. One said no, but later on worked in the vineyard, while the other said yes, but did not go.

Jesus asked the chief priests and elders of the people: “Which of the two did his father's will?" They answered, "The first."

Jesus told them, "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."

Gospel Reflection

Jesus was telling the chief priests and elders of the people that tax collectors and prostitutes would enter the kingdom of heaven before them.

Why is this so?

Tax collectors and prostitutes were generally regarded as sinners and outcasts in the society of that time. However, many of them responded positively to the message of repentance preached by John the Baptist. They recognized their need for change and embraced John's teachings, leading them to repentance. They redirected their lives: from sinfulness to a life of grace.

The chief priests and elders, on the other hand, were religious leaders and scholars well-versed in the Scriptures. However, their hearts were hardened by pride, self-righteousness, and a sense of entitlement. Despite their knowledge of the law, they failed to see their own spiritual poverty and need for repentance. They redirected their lives: from a life of grace to sinfulness.

How? For one, they put heavy burdens on the poor and sinners making them impossible to inherit the Kingdom of God. They used the Temple and the Law to oppress people, especially the poor and sinners, instead of showing to them mercy and compassion.

Jesus, throughout his ministry, advocated for a different approach. He welcomed sinners, offering them a chance for redemption and a path to spiritual healing. He criticized the religious elite for their lack of empathy, urging them to show kindness and understanding to those who were struggling. His message was one of inclusivity, where the Kingdom of God was open to all, especially to those who acknowledged their imperfections and sought transformation.

Pope Francis, in his first book “The Name of God is Mercy”, talked about the paradox of God’s mercy. Pope Francis suggests that only those who have committed great sins can truly appreciate God's mercy and compassion; they have the opportunity to experience God's profound mercy. Because they experience God’s mercy in their lives, they redirect their lives as what the second son did in our Gospel story.

Two Paths of Redirection

Now, allow me to make a commentary on the first reading from the Prophet Ezekiel. During the time of Ezekiel, it was believed that the sin of the parents would be carried by their children and grandchildren. Ezekiel denounced this thinking.

We need to read Ez 18:25-28 in the context of Ezekiel chapter 18. Here, Ezekiel attacked the adage: “Parents eat sour grapes, but the children’s teeth are set on edge” because the Lord God said, “I swear that none of you will ever repeat this proverb in Israel.” “Only the one who sins shall die!” “If a man is just—if he does what is right,... he shall surely live.” It means that if the son is wicked, despite having a virtuous father, the son will die.

This background helps us understand why Jesus attacked the hypocrisy of the chief priests and elders of the people. They thought that because of their heritage, as priestly people, they inherit the kingdom of God.

In the first reading from the prophet Ezekiel, the Israelites were complaining to God about how He deals with people who have changed their ways. They said that God's ways are not just. They felt that God's judgments were unfair, leading to a sense of hopelessness and resentment.

Through Ezekiel, God responded, emphasizing His fairness and justice. He explained that it is not His desire for the wicked to perish; rather, He urged them to turn away from their sinful paths and choose righteousness. God affirmed that when the wicked person repents and embraces goodness, their past sins will be forgiven and not held against them.

This is a lesson of redirection or change of heart. There are two paths:

Path one: When a person realizes that he or she has been living a life of sinfulness, injustice, and corruption and with a decisive move redirects one's life towards virtue, goodness, justice, truth, and love, that person is pleasing to God because that person has chosen to move away from death to life.

Path two: When a person who claims to be virtuous, just, loving, and suddenly reorients his or her life towards one of iniquity and evil, now that person has redirected his or her life towards death. It is a redirection that does not make life more productive, it leads even to a deterioration or a loss of life.

The Need for Repentance

The chief priests and the elders of the people used to think that they were remnants of the beloved people of God and because they came from the priestly people of God, they are will inherit the kingdom of God. Jesus told them that their bloodline and rank as priests, do not guarantee their salvation. They need conversion and repentance.

Jesus highlighted the contrast between the outwardly righteous, who lacked genuine repentance, and the outwardly sinful, who recognized their need for God's forgiveness and transformation. The tax collectors and prostitutes, by embracing repentance, demonstrated true humility and openness to God's grace. Their acknowledgment of their own shortcomings allowed them to receive God's forgiveness and enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus' message emphasized the importance of a humble and contrite heart. He was teaching that true righteousness is not merely about adhering to religious laws and traditions, but about acknowledging one's need for God, repenting of sins, and being receptive to His mercy. Those who are humble, regardless of their past, can find forgiveness and acceptance in God's kingdom, while those who are self-righteous and unrepentant may miss out on the blessings of God's grace.

Blessed Sunday!