Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Parable of the Two Sons”
Artist and Date are UNKNOWN

Readings for theTwenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time[1][2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading I: Ezekiel 18:25-28

Thus says the Lord:

You say, "The Lord’s way is not fair!"

Hear now, house of Israel:

Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?

When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies,

it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.

But if he turns from the wickedness he has committed,

he does what is right and just,

he shall preserve his life;

since he has turned away from all the sins that he has committed,

he shall surely live, he shall not die.

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Commentary on Ez 18:25-28

The theme of this section of Ezekiel is “The Lord’s way is just.”  In these verses the prophet presents an apology of the fairness of the Law saying that those who sin against God die but those who turn from sin and repent live.  This argument stresses individual responsibility and the ability of the faithful to choose life or death, fully informed.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14

R. (6a) Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Your ways, O Lord, make known to me;

teach me your paths,

guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my savior.

R. Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Remember that your compassion, O Lord,

and your love are from of old.

The sins of my youth and my frailties remember not;

in your kindness remember me,

because of your goodness, O Lord.

R. Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Good and upright is the Lord;

thus he shows sinners the way.

He guides the humble to justice,

and teaches the humble his way.

R. Remember your mercies, O Lord.

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Commentary on Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14

Psalm 25 is an individual lament. The sinful psalmist prays that “Your ways” be made known. The request directs us to repentance and ultimately justice. The theme of guidance is continued in the psalm. This selection gives a clear sense of the Lord’s path announced by angelic messengers, prophets and the very Law of Moses; the culmination and completion of God’s covenants. This selection gives a clear sense of the Lord’s path announced by John the Baptist and Malachi.

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Reading II: Philippians 2:1-11

Brothers and sisters:

If there is any encouragement in Christ,

any solace in love,

any participation in the Spirit,

any compassion and mercy,

complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love,

united in heart, thinking one thing.

Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;

rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,

each looking out not for his own interests,

but also for those of others.

Have in you the same attitude

that is also in Christ Jesus,

Who, though he was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

something to be grasped.

Rather, he emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

coming in human likeness;

and found human in appearance,

he humbled himself,

becoming obedient to the point of death,

even death on a cross.

Because of this, God greatly exalted him

and bestowed on him the name

which is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bend,

of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that

Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

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Commentary on Phil 2:1-11

Contained in this selection from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians are two specific instructions to the community.  He begins exhorting them to unity and harmony (see below) and then continues with the Kenotic (emptying) Hymn which focuses on humility.  It is believed that the verses of the hymn are likely a liturgical song in use at the time the letter was penned.  Christ empties himself of the complete divinity that is his essence and accepts the human condition. As true man he suffers the ultimate humiliation of death (on the cross). The second section of the hymn focuses on God’s resulting actions of exaltation. The Christian sings to God’s great glory in Christ proclaiming him Lord and Savior.

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OR

Shorter Form: Philippians 2:1-5

Brothers and sisters:

If there is any encouragement in Christ,

any solace in love,

any participation in the Spirit,

any compassion and mercy,

complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love,

united in heart, thinking one thing.

Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;

rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,

each looking out not for his own interests,

but also for those of others.

Have in you the same attitude

that is also in Christ Jesus.

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Commentary on Phil 2:1-5

St. Paul tells the community in essence “If you want to console me in Christ, complete my joy by paying attention to the advice I am now going to give you.”[4] He then tells them that what they should strive for is unity with Christ (en Christō) which would bring harmony to the community.  He defines the “mind of Christ” in a sense; “…solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy” then telling them they should be also of that mind but in humility.

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Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people:

"What is your opinion?

A man had two sons.

He came to the first and said,

'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'

He said in reply, 'I will not, '

but afterwards changed his mind and went.

The man came to the other son and gave the same order.

He said in reply, 'Yes, sir, ‘but did not go.

Which of the two did his father's will?"

They answered, "The first."

Jesus said to 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."

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Commentary on Mt 21:28-32

This passage is the first of three parables concerning the judgment of the people of Israel.  This parable could be taken simply as the difference between saying and doing (see also Matthew 7:21; 12:50). Presented as it is as a question to the Jewish leaders, they are forced to admit that the son who did the father’s will was the one justified. Jesus then clarifies his meaning by setting the analogy of the two sons against religious leaders, who disbelieved the message of St. John the Baptist and the sinners (tax collectors and prostitutes) who did. 

This characterization does not mean that St. John led a righteous life but pointed to how one might be lead.  Ultimately that parable tells the Jewish leaders that those they look down upon are achieving the inheritance of God before them because of their acts of repentance and devotion.

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Homily:

As silly as it seems, I thought I’d tell you a modern parable to illustrate the parable in the Gospel.  There is in my circle of friends a couple who have been married for a long time (over 30 years).  Recently they told me a story about how the husband, Bob, thought it would be a good idea for them to own a generator for their home.  It had been a stormy summer and they had lost power a couple of times risking all the food in their fairly large freezer. 

Mary Ann, his wife, was in charge of the budget and told him that $2,000 was just not in their budget and they could get along without it.  They went back and forth on this because Bob knew there was a rainy day fund they could borrow from.  Mary Ann, on the other hand did not think this was a sufficient reason to tap that fund.

In the end, Bob went out, and without telling Mary Ann, bought a generator anyway.  When he got it home, to his surprise and chagrin, he found his argument in favor of the generator had been effective, because Mary Ann had gone out and purchased one as well.  They laughed a little and Bob took his back to the store for a refund. They both didn’t laugh when they found that the double purchase had caused them to eat an overdraft fee from the bank.

So, looking at this situation, whose fault was it that they were hit with the overdraft?  Bob, who knew that his wife did not support his decision and went ahead with it anyway; or Mary Ann, who told her husband she disagreed and then bought it anyway?  The short answer is; they were both at fault.

This story is not exactly parallel to the Gospel of the two sons.  However the moral is similar; if you say you will do something, do it.

Ezekiel and St. Paul set us up for the Gospel from St. Matthew.  Ezekiel tells us that those of us who repent of our human rebellion against God will find life.  In essence he tells us that the door to happiness and life is always open but we must turn away from sin.  St. Paul then exhorts us to not just turn from sin but to embrace the mind of Christ who provides solace in love coupled with participation in the Holy Spirit and living lives of compassion and mercy.  He follows this with the great Kenotic Hymn reminding us that Christ did this in humility “…taking the form of a slave”. 

To all of this, as we pull the Word apart, we are saying “Yes, yes! That is what I must do.  Thank you Ezekiel, thank you St. Paul.” 

Then we come to the Parable of the Two Sons from St. Matthew’s Gospel.  On the surface we see Ezekiel’s theme brought to life as Jesus uses the parable of the two sons attempting to explain to the Jewish leaders how they have misunderstood God’s call by rejecting the repentance preached by St. John the Baptist. 

We applaud Jesus for taking those hypocrites to task.  Then we think about those two sons.  We ask ourselves; “Which of them most closely resembles me?”  Have I said to my Heavenly Father – Yes, I am here to do what you ask; but then fail?  Or have I been brought to obedience through my errors and sins, as so many of those saints before me? 

There lies our trap; our conundrum.  If we chose the latter answer and say we have found the right path – that we are walking the “Way”, have we missed the point of the Kenotic Hymn?  Have we put on the mind of Christ whose attitude St. Paul tells us to adopt?  Jesus emptied himself of all pride and, in spite of his perfection in love, he allowed us to humiliate him and kill him, hanging him upon a tree.

Yet, on the other side, if we admit that we have said “yes” to the Father but not fulfilled our duty to him do we desperately need to undergo the conversion of heart necessary to put on the mind of Christ? Or are we acting out of the humility we are called to and indeed on the right path?

Of course the answer is that as hard as we try we shall never be able to completely personify the perfect love and ultimate humility of Christ.  He may have emptied himself of pride but that was part of his perfect nature, a nature reflected dimly in us in, a way befitting God’s creation.  Our challenge as Christians is to work constantly toward that perfect goal.  We do so firstly by never taking personal pride in the good we accomplish.  It is Christ’s glory we proclaim not our own.  Secondly, we recognize, through acts of contrition, that we have failed to answer our call but God’s mercy is there for those who ask for it.

Pax

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[1] ALTRE

[2] The picture used today is “Parable of the Two Sons” Artist and Date are UNKNOWN

[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

[4] cf St. Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Philippians