Reading 1
Ez 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.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 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.
Reading 2
Phil 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.
or Phil 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.
Gospel
Mt 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."
Meditation: Matthew 21:28-32
Which of the two did his father’s will?” (Matthew 21:31)
This is a familiar story. A father sends each of his two sons to work in his vineyard. The first says no, but later changes his mind and goes. The second readily agrees to go, but never follows through. We don’t know if he was just giving the expected answer and never intended to go, or if he started out in the right direction but got distracted. Of course, it was the first son who did his father’s will.
Think about the father. Perhaps getting his grapes harvested wasn’t his only objective, or even the most important one he had in mind. Perhaps he knew his sons could easily get in trouble if they didn’t have something productive to do. Maybe he hoped it would be an occasion to help them learn more about the family business they would inherit one day.
What is our Father’s intent for us? Perhaps there is more to it than meets the eye. God urges us to avoid sin not because he wants to make things tough for us but because he knows how much sin hurts us and those we love. Perhaps what we may see as a burdensome church rule is intended as a doorway into a closer relationship with God, who longs to spend time with us but knows we may need the rule to make sure we spend time with him. Maybe changing the wording of the prayers and responses at Mass can be an occasion for entering more mindfully into those prayers, as well as uniting us with those throughout the world who pray them in words and phrases more like the ones we are now using.
We may start out with a minimalist attitude: What is the least I can do and still be saved? But if we linger in our Father’s presence, we will discover that it is a delightful place to be!
“Father, thank you for inviting me to work alongside you to build your kingdom in this world. Help me be more attentive to your purposes for me.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion
(Ezekiel 18:25-28; Psalm 25:4-9; Philippians 2:1-11; Matthew 21:28-32)
1. In the first reading, God cautions us against accusing him of being unfair, without first examining our own lives. How often do you do an examination of conscience and repent of (and turn away from) your sins? Are there times in your life when you are prone to blame God for your difficulties, rather than your own behavior? What can you do to be more accountable for the consequences of your decisions?
2. In the responsorial psalm, we ask God to “guide” and “teach” us. How often do you turn to God during the day to ask for guidance? What steps can you take to be more alert to and open to God’s presence during the day?
3. In the second reading, St. Paul urges us to be of one “mind” and “heart”. What can you do this week to restore bonds of love and unity between individuals who have become estranged? Maybe there is someone in your own life.
4. St. Paul goes further and also says an astonishing thing. We are told to regard others as more important than ourselves! How do you honestly regard others relative to yourself? What specifically do you need to do to begin adopting the attitude described by St. Paul?
5. In the Gospel, Christ admonishes the chief priests and elders for giving lip service to their faith, but not really living it. They claim to follow God, but actually do nothing. Can that be said of you? What can you do to make your faith have a greater impact on how you live out your life (i.e., be not just a hearer of the Word, but a “doer”)?
6. The meditation challenges us with this question: “What is our Father’s intent for us?” How would you answer this? What steps can you take to be more faithful to “our Father’s intent”?
7. Take some time now to pray that the Lord would give you the grace to know and do God’s will and to be more attentive to his plan for your life. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.
No comments:
Post a Comment