Mt 21:28-32
Jesus went on to say, “What do you think of this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said to him, ‘Son, go and work today in my vineyard.’ And the son answered, ‘I don’t want to.’ But later he thought better of it and went. Then the father went to his other son and said the same thing to him. This son replied, ‘I will go, sir,’ but he did not go.
Which of the two did what the father wanted?” They answered, “The first.” And Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you: the publicans and the prostitutes are ahead of you on the way to the kingdom of heaven. For John came, to show you the way of goodness, and you did not believe him; but the publicans and the prostitutes did. You were witnesses of this, but you neither repented nor believed him.
REFLECTION
It is not difficult to understand the parable of the two children. The first says no to the father’s order, but repents afterwards and obeys. The second, with his lips, says yes, but doesn’t accomplish the father’s will.
Jesus himself gives the explication: tax collectors and prostitutes at the beginning are sinners, they do not fulfill the commandments of God – the 7th and the 6th – but through John’s and Jesus’ preaching they are changed.
Priests and elders seem to say yes and appear very upright; however in their hearts they aren’t truly converted, neither to John, nor to Jesus
Can we see there a parable of the religious communities? Apparently we have said yes to the Lord, but maybe our hearts abide far from Jesus’ will and love, our charity is weak and our apostolic ministry lacks fervor and responsibility.
Yet, today so many laypeople living in the world, give example of prayer, generosity and apostolic commitment.
The appeal of the Gospel is universal and the grace of the baptism and the particular graces of each one’s vocation does push us to a real and complete yes to the Father’s invitation.
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