What does being humble, being broken, have to do with our Gospel reading? Jesus shares the parable of the two sons, addressing this parable to the chief priests and elders of the people. We find the father requesting of his sons, “Go out and work in the vineyard”. The first son disrespectfully replies, “I will not” and then, changing his mind, works in the vineyard that day. Son #2, when asked, replies, “Yes Sir,” yet does not go.
What does this parable tell us? Both sons had the same Father who wanted them to be active and productive, to go out and work in the Vineyard… to improve it. The first son is not only disrespectful, he is impudent. His needs clearly come first, before the needs of his father. Even though he changes his mind and repents, thus doing his father’s work, his words and his actions are at odds. This incongruity diminishes who he is.
At first blush the second son is respectful. Yet he either forgets his commitment or he has lied. His words and actions are not in harmony and he, too is fragmented, diminished.
In our Gospel, Jesus chastises those who dress in fine robes and accessories, the chief priests and elders who claim to be authorities on God. When John the Baptist, as scruffy as he is, points to the path of righteousness, these same chief priests and elders, do not believe, they act in ways that will NOT allow them to enter the Kingdom of God. There is a disconnect between their words and their actions.
We need to surrender our expectations, the notion that we are in charge. We need to surrender our agendas, our ambitions, our bitterness and our anger when our expectations are not met. We need to surrender our fears, and we need to surrender those fears that become anger. We need to humble our hearts… for we are not in charge.
--Jackie Bacon,
OLMC Communion Service
OLMC Communion Service
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