“…For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax-collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.’’ (Matt 21:32)
(Year A: The Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, 27th
September, 2020)
READINGS (COI & paired as between the Gospel and the Old
Testament readings)
Someone’s word is their trust. Or, is
it?
Many a promise has been made in a rush of
enthusiasm or prolonged positive feeling. When the storms come or when
circumstances change, the initial promise and zeal comes under strain.
Like in the parable of the sower, the worries, trials and attractions of life
can blow us off course and we are at risk of losing our initial clarity of
vision and determination of will. Questions arise. Doubts are sown and regrets
begin to sprout. And then the cares of life intrude.
Words come easily when there are few clouds
in the sky and all seems bright and easy. The same might be said of a religious
experience when someone had a very strong sense of God’s love at a particular
moment in time and in a particular place. We might give our ‘all’ and our
‘yes’ in such circumstances. Then, a year later or 40 years later we might be
tempted to give only a qualified ‘all’ and a qualified ‘yes’ (if a ‘yes’ at
all).
Actions speak louder than words.
Yet, words are extremely important. They
arise from the Life that is within us and they give Life to those with whom we
share conversations in the daily journey of life.
For Jesus declared in Matthew 7:21
Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”,
will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only one who does the will of my Father
in heaven.
Perhaps, the parable of the two sons found uniquely
in Matthew 21 reminds us that we need to consider carefully what it is that we
are saying yes to. Perhaps, the first son was right to avoid saying yes,
initially. ‘But later he changed his mind and went’ (v. 29). The point is
that the first son is an example of someone who does the will of God having
thought the matter over and having opened himself or herself to God’s grace (we
never say ‘yes’ without the help and free grace of God). The ‘second son’
is something of an unreliable character who promised much but ended up
delivering little.
On a more ordinary everyday level, we might
associate the second son with people who make lists, have lots of plans and are
always about to deliver but never carry out what it is that they promised or undertook
to do. The first son might be a difficult sort who is stubborn and unwilling to
commit at first but who actually delivers. Clearly, the doer (the first son) is
the preferred response. However, we might combine something of both traits from
the two sons and be enthusiastic doers of God’s word.
We might, sometimes, backtrack on our
promises and words but God is ever faithful and waits patiently and lovingly
for us to return to him (2 Peter 3:9)
The Lord is not slow about his promise, as
some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to
perish, but all to come to repentance.
Are there among us those who consider
themselves safe and sound..
on the right side of God? Do we look with
disdain on the masses of the unwashed – heretics, non-believers, people living
very different lifestyles to those approved by traditional norms, etc.? Might
there be more manifestations of Godly righteousness and compassion outside our
church circles than within? We might, yet, be in for a shock in the
fullness of time.
Note Ï
The Gospel of Matthew ..
was written at a particularly difficult moment among the first Jewish Christians, many of whom were faced with exclusion, rejection and excommunication from the closely-knit community centred around the Synagogue (or Temple a decade or so earlier). Many of the first audiences presented to God had rejected the One God had sent but many of the second ones (sinners, tax-collectors, prostitutes and the gentile who were, by definition, unclean). Such were the times in which the Good News had to be refined and communicated to a new generation of believers who had not seen the Lord in the flesh some 50 years previously. The audience, according to Matthew, for this passage were the chief priests and elders and the location was the Temple in Jerusalem (which would be destroyed some 40 years later or 10 years before Matthew Gospel was written from various oral and other written sources). (Matthew 21:23-27)
Intercessions
Your ways are holy, O Lord. Who can know your mind. Who can
understand your infinite love. We are
marked by your immense love. From the moment of our conception you have loved
us with an everlasting love. From all eternity we have been in your mind.
With deep reverence and humility of heart we place our needs
before God-who-is-love.
Watch over those who are lonely, lost or excluded. In the
coming week may we become channels of healing and good news for each person in
our family, workplace and community.
Be with those who struggle to turn and begin again. May we
encourage rather than discourage by placing obstacles.
We place before you the needs of those close to us.
We pray for the coming of that day when all will be one in
your kingdom and together we may praise you for ever.
Merciful
father: accept these our prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour,
Jesus Christ. Amen
Collect of the Word © Rev K O’Mahony (tarsus.ie)
O God, you alone judge rightly and search the depths of the
heart. Make us swift to do your will and slow to judge our neighbour, that we
may walk with those who follow the way of repentance and faith and so enter
your heavenly kingdom. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who
lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and
ever. Amen.
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