Coffee With God

Reflection: Matthew 21: 28-32

Today, the Church celebrates the memorial of St. John of the Cross, who initiated the spiritual renewal of his own religious community. Ordained a Carmelite priest in 1567 at age 25, John met Teresa of Avila and vowed himself to the Rule of the Carmelites. As partner with Teresa, John engaged in the work of reforming his own community, and came to experience the price of reform: increasing opposition, misunderstanding, persecution and imprisonment. He came to experience the dying of Jesus—as he spent his days in the cistern, with Jesus on the Cross as his only companion. In today’s Gospel, through the parable of the two sons, who were asked to work in their vineyard, Jesus expresses his annoyance over the rejection of the Message of the Kingdom by those who were expected to be members of God’s Kingdom by default. Priests and elders of the community were the ones who were learned and had access to the Scriptures. They regarded themselves to have automatic access to God’s kingdom while prostitutes and tax collectors were regarded public sinners and couldn’t even dream of reaching anywhere near. It would be wrong to interpret that Jesus was condoning the sinful behaviour of the crooks and prostitutes. Explaining this text, sometimes we hear phrases such as “those who do not go to Mass are better than those who do”, or “What is important is not about going to Mass, but being a good person.” In fact, Jesus does not exalt sinners for being sinners, nor denounce the pharisees for their righteousness. What he appreciates in the sinners is their disposition to conversion. John the Baptist preached a message of conversion and he was greatly appreciated by the common people who were regarded as public sinners; while the priests and officials rejected him. Now Jesus faces the similar reaction – ordinary people and public sinners became his friends and accepted his message while the “officially righteous” people rejected him. The two sons in the parable represent all the Children of God and the Father represent God the Father. The son who disagrees to go the vineyard stands for those who because of their sinful behaviour, have moved away from the Father. But later he decided to change his ways and obeys the father. The son who says yes but does not obey stands for those who scrupulously followed the law even at the cost of charity and mercy. This parable is a call to examine the quality of our lives. When we fail to live by the Gospel even as we claim to follow Christ, believing ourselves to be superior to others, and despising in some way those who are far from the faith, today’s Gospel is a warning. To follow Jesus is to live by his Gospel. Be Christians of action and not Christians of words alone.