26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

My dear parishioners.

God Is Good!!! All the Time!!! And All the Time !!! God Is Good!!!

IGod entrusted Ezekiel with the task of looking out for the spiritual welfare of the people. From his vantage point as a watchman, Ezekiel sounded the alarm when danger approached. He did this faithfully throughout his service to God, even noting, as he often did, the precise date on which he pronounced a certain oracle. If the people heeded his warnings, they would be able to escape any impending danger.

In many ways, today’s Gospel is a commentary on what went before in Matthew 21:23–27. There, the subject matter was a controversy over the origin of John the Baptist’s authority. The controversy is continued in the present Gospel passage.

Two sons. The controversy is between Jesus and the chief priests and elders of the people. Jesus poses a situation of a man with two sons. The first son was told to go work in the vineyard. He refused, but later changed his mind and went. The second son received the same mandate. He said yes, but in fact, did not go. Jesus then asked the chief priests and elders which of the two sons actually did the will of the father. They replied that the first son did his father’s will. All of this sets the stage for what Jesus is really interested in.

True and false Israel. The image of a vineyard is frequently used as a symbol for Israel (Is 5:1 –7). Here Jesus seems to be using it to make some strong criticisms regarding true and false Israel symbolized by the two sons. He pushes his criticism further by declaring that tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom before the chief priests and elders. Tax collectors were Jews who worked closely with the Roman empire deliberately dealing unjustly with their own people. Prostitutes were also Jews who sold their services to mostly Roman soldiers.

Who listened to John the Baptist? The tax collectors and the prostitutes are judged better than the chief priests and elders precisely because the latter refused to listen to John the Baptist’s message of righteousness. They refused to accept his authority and, therefore, they did not believe him. The tax collectors and the prostitutes, however, heard the message of John the Baptist and believed him. The chief priests and the elders should have accepted the message of John the Baptist but refused, whereas the tax collectors and prostitutes had no real reason to believe John but they did. Unlike that first son who initially refused to go work in the vineyard but later did so, the chief priests and elders did not change their minds and did not accept the message of John the Baptist. They are an example of failed leadership.

Excerpts from “Sunday Homily Helps”, is used by permission of Franciscan Media. www.FranciscanMedia.org. All rights reserved

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Aloysius