Reading 1
Zep 3:1-2, 9-13
Thus says the LORD:
Woe to the city, rebellious and polluted,
to the tyrannical city!
She hears no voice,
accepts no correction;
In the LORD she has not trusted,
to her God she has not drawn near.
For then I will change and purify
the lips of the peoples,
That they all may call upon the name of the LORD,
to serve him with one accord;
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
and as far as the recesses of the North,
they shall bring me offerings.
On that day
You need not be ashamed
of all your deeds,
your rebellious actions against me;
For then will I remove from your midst
the proud braggarts,
And you shall no longer exalt yourself
on my holy mountain.
But I will leave as a remnant in your midst
a people humble and lowly,
Who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD:
the remnant of Israel.
They shall do no wrong
and speak no lies;
Nor shall there be found in their mouths
a deceitful tongue;
They shall pasture and couch their flocks
with none to disturb them.
Gospel
Mt 21:28-32
Jesus said to the chief priests and the 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.’
The son said in reply, ‘I will not,’
but afterwards he 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.”
Meditation: Matthew 21:28-32
Go out and work in the vineyard today. (Matthew 21:28)
We often hear preaching that compares our relationship with God to the bond between a father and his trusting young child. While this imagery can be very helpful, it is important to remember that we often act more like a know-it-all teenager than an innocent three-year-old. So let’s try to look at our relationship with God in a different light.
Taking your cue from today’s Gospel reading, put yourself in the position of an independent young adult who works in the family business. Your father is the owner, and you are working with your brothers and sisters to ensure the success of your Father’s vision. It’s his business, and at the end of the day, he is the one who has to take responsibility for the company’s ups and downs. But you also know that the company’s future is in your hands as well. If you don’t pull your weight, your whole family will be affected, and the business won’t thrive.
This approach to the Christian life can help us understand why Jesus was so direct in dealing with the Pharisees and other religious leaders who opposed him. Theirs was a high calling: to help the people of Israel stay faithful to the covenant God had made with them. Ordinary, everyday Jews looked to their example for guidance. Rabbis deferred to their knowledge of the Law of Moses. They even held sway over Herod’s royal court. So you can imagine how much it must have pained Jesus to see some of these leaders take their calling lightly and abuse their positions of authority. Not only were they hurting themselves, they were hurting those who relied on them.
Today’s Gospel passage offers us a warning: We all bear some responsibility for the kingdom of God. The church depends on our faithfulness to the Lord. What’s more, people depend on us. We are all part of the biggest family business around: a gathering of brothers and sisters known as the church, the body of Christ. We need to take responsibility for this church if we want to see it thrive and prosper. It can be hard work at times, but like any family business, if we don’t do it, no one else will.
“Father, here I am. I am ready to go into your vineyard. By your Spirit, give me the grace to build your kingdom today.”
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