Which Son Did the Father's Will?
Introduction: May
you be guided by the promptings of the Holy Spirit as you seek to be headed to
the Reign of GOD.
The GPS switched on to
prompt us the way we should turn to arrive at the destination that had been
entered into the device. If all things worked correctly, we would be guided to
where we wanted to go. There were a few things that could have prevented us from
arriving at the intended location. One problem might be that we entered the
wrong address into the GPS. Another thing might be our choice not to follow the
prompting of the GPS. Still, another problem was that there might have been
problems (just road construction, traffic, or an accident) of which the GPS was
not aware as of that second. If we purposefully decided to not follow the
prompting of the GPS, the GPS would say, “Recalculating,” and plotted a new
course that would get me back on track toward my ultimate goal.
In our spiritual journey, similar things happen. We are on a journey
toward GOD. Our “GOD Provided Spirit” (GPS) will prompt us as we head toward
our ultimate destination. We can choose to disregard the prompting of the Holy
Spirit. This will cause the GPSpirit to recalculate how we can get back on
track. This GPS, as our more modern vehicle GPS, will always seek to get us on
the right track, even if there are new conditions along our journey to be with
our GOD. The Holy Spirit always knows where we should be heading, but we can
refuse to follow what turns we should make to arrive at the house of our
Abba-Father Who happens to be GOD. How much easier it is if we follow the
GOD-provided Spirit.
Today’s readings speak about making choices – moral choices and the
consequences of those choices. Ezekiel reminds the people who listen to him
that each individual is responsible for his/her own actions. The psalm is a
prayer asking for GOD’s guidance in making the right choices and GOD’s
forgiveness and mercy when wrong choices are made. St. Paul addresses the
community at Philippi and presents to them a list of virtuous actions that they
should try to perform and reminds them that they have a role model in Jesus.
Jesus’s attitude should be the attitude they try to take for their own lives.
In the Gospel, Jesus presents the parable of two sons who respond to their
father’s request to do a certain job. Both have a change of heart after
responding verbally to their father’s demands.
Commentary: The prophet Ezekiel was speaking
in Babylon during the exile of the Jews there after the destruction of Jerusalem.
Not surprisingly, the second generation of exiles were questioning why they should
suffer for the failures of their forefathers. This was, however, a new phase in
the development of morality, for beforehand the sense of solidarity with family
or clan had been so strong that it was assumed that punishment for the sins and
failures of an individual would affect the whole clan or family. Now the individual
is to be held responsible for his or her own sins only. Furthermore, the individual
cannot simply rely on good deeds of the past, nor feel irremediably condemned for
failures in the past. Conversion in both directions is possible: just as the good
person can become evil, so the evil person can change direction. In the end, the
Lord promises conversion to the good, a new heart, and a new spirit, so that even
the sinner can repent and live.
The psalm builds on the thought of the LORD being a forgiving GOD Who not only has been generous in forgiving in the past but forgets about past sins and will redirect and guide a person who turns to GOD for new guidance and help. All one needs do is turn humbly to the LORD and the LORD will show the divine way.
Commentary: This is a wonderful hymn of Christ’s
self-emptying and his exaltation and vindication by the Father, probably an ancient
Christian hymn celebrating the triumph of Christ, which Paul adopted and used for
himself. In the first half of the reading, Paul shows the warmth of his joy as a
pastor in the fellowship of his young community at Philippi, though the fact of
this strong appeal for unity may suggest that he is painting an optimistic picture
of their single-mindedness! He also gently chides them for their vanity, and he
includes the hymn to show that the path of humility is the way to exaltation. The
hymn itself contrasts Christ, the Second Adam, with Adam (that is, humanity) who
fell, who wanted to be like God, who tried to escape death, tried to exalt himself
and was humbled. The last verses are one of the clearest statements in Paul of the
divine character of Christ. A verse from Isaiah 45:23 is applied to Christ. In Isaiah
the verse describes the homage due to the LORD alone, and no one else. In the hymn
this divine homage is paid to Christ – and this is to the glory of God the Father.
The concept of divinity is expanded to include Christ.
Commentary: Matthew loves giving parables
of Jesus contrasting ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies’ like these two contrasting sons. Matthew’s
parables put everything in black-and-white terms with no shades of grey (wise and
foolish wedding attendants, sheep, and goats). Luke uses different parables, in
which the characters – just like us – often do the right thing for the wrong reason.
The sayings of Jesus were handed down by word of mouth for some years before being
written down. Did the straightforward contrast in Matthew (it is odd that both change
their minds without a reason) develop into Luke’s parable of the Prodigal Son? Both
times the ‘goodie’ son ends up bad, and the ‘baddie’ son ends up good, but in Luke’s
version both changes of mind are motivated, and there is great emphasis on the son’s
repentance and the father’s overwhelming joy at getting him back. The lesson in
Matthew’s story is given also by Jesus’ word in the Sermon on the Mount, ‘It is
not anyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord” who will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but
the person who does the will of my Father in Heaven’. It is no use simply saying
that Christ is our ‘Lord’, we have to express it in our behaviour.
Reflection: What kind of future are you preparing
for? Jesus encourages us to think - to think about the consequences of our choices,
especially the choices and decisions that will count not just for now but for eternity
as well. The choices we make now will affect and shape our future, both our future
on earth as well as in the life of the age to come.
Repaying a debt of gratitude and showing respect where it is due
Jesus tells a simple story of two imperfect sons to illustrate the way
of God's kingdom. The father amply provided for his sons food, lodging, and everything
they needed. Everything the father had belonged to them as well. The father also
rewarded his sons with excellent work in his own vineyard. He expected them to show
him gratitude, loyalty, and honor by doing their fair share of the daily work.
Converting both heart and will to do what is good and pleasing to God
The "rebellious" son told his father to his face that he would
not work for him. But afterward, he changed his mind and did what his father commanded
him. The "good" son said he would work for his father but didn't follow
through. He sought his own pleasure, contrary to his father's will. Now who was
really the good son? Both sons disobeyed their father - but one repented and then
did what the father told him. Jesus makes his point clear - Good intentions are
not enough. And promises don't count unless they are performed.
A transformed heart filled with gratitude and respect
God wants to change our hearts so that we will show by our speech and
by our actions that we respect his will and do it. God offers each one of us the
greatest treasure possible - indestructible peace, joy, and friendship with him
in his everlasting kingdom. We can lose that treasure if we refuse the grace - the
free gift of God's blessing and strength - which the Lord Jesus has won for us through
his victory on the cross. The Lord Jesus fills us with the gift of the Holy Spirit
who works in and through us for the glory of God. Do you seek to please God and
respect his will and loving plan for your life? Allow the Holy Spirit to fill your
heart with the peace, joy, and righteousness of God's kingdom (Romans 14:17).
Lord Jesus, change my heart so that I may only desire that which is pleasing
to you. Help me to respect your will and give me the strength, joy, and perseverance
to carry it out wholeheartedly.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: The Father and his two
sons, author unknown, from the 5th century A.D.
"Who is this if not the God who created all people and loves
them with a fatherly affection, the God who preferred to be loved as a father
rather than feared as a lord, even though he was Lord by nature? On this
account, at the beginning of the commandments of the law, he did not say, 'You
shall fear the Lord with all your heart' but 'you shall love the Lord with all
your heart' (Deuteronomy 6:5). To elicit love is not characteristic of a lord
but of a father. Of the two sons in this parable, the older one represents the
Gentiles, since they come from their father Noah. The younger son represents
the Jews, who come from Abraham. 'And approaching the first, he said,
"Son, go and work today in my vineyard." 'Today' refers to this
present age. How did he speak to his sons? He didn't address them face to face
like man, but he spoke to the heart, like God. Man, only utters words to the
ear, but God supplies understanding to the mind." (excerpt from an
incomplete Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, HOMILY 40)
WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT
“If a wicked man, turning from the wickedness he has committed, does
what is right and just, he shall preserve his life.” —Ezekiel 18:27
Jesus began His public ministry with the command: “Reform your lives
and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:15). If we don’t repent of our sins, the
shedding of Jesus’ blood and His death on the cross was done in vain for us.
Repentance is the beginning and the essence of life in Christ. Nevertheless,
repentance is humanly impossible, for repentance is not a minor change but a
180-degree turnabout in our lives and lifestyles. Moreover, the nature of sin
is such that it blinds us to the seriousness of sin. Yet God’s grace is
sufficient (2 Cor 12:9), and sinners miraculously repent day after day (see Ez
18:28).
In addition to repentance, a necessary part of our conversion is
final perseverance. God’s Word says: “When a virtuous man turns away from
virtue to commit iniquity and dies, it is because of the iniquity he committed
that he must die” (Ez 18:26). After we repent, we must remain faithful (see Lk
21:19). Even if we sin, we must return to the Lord and faithfulness, and
persevere in that faithfulness. Otherwise, we are lost. Once again, we are
totally dependent on God’s grace. Yet we must repeatedly make the free
decisions to accept those graces of perseverance. So let us humble ourselves in
repentance in the regular celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and
strengthen our perseverance in the frequent or daily celebration of the
Eucharist. The Lord has made His grace very available to us. So let us thank
Him and immerse ourselves in our baptismal graces now and forever.
Prayer: Father, may I be converted by
Your standards. “It was thus that He humbled Himself, obediently accepting even
death, death on a cross! Because of this, God highly exalted Him and bestowed
on Him the name above every other name.” —Phil 2:8-9. Praise the Risen Jesus,
“Author of Life” (Acts 3:15).
The personal question for today: Can I
think of a time when I said “yes” to GOD and yet did not do what I said I
would? Are there times when I have turned my back to GOD (a-theos), and later
changed my mind and sought to be more in line with GOD? What was the experience
like when I sensed GOD’s forgiveness of my sin and knew that I was being more
on Target again in my aim for (towards) GOD? What can I do to share with others
the blessing of correcting their “missing the mark” and realigning themselves
more fully toward GOD (ad Deum)?