A CALL TO CHANGE

Matthew 21:28-32

This gospel is a story about the contrasting attitudes of two sons. The first son said ‘no’ to the request of his father but after he came to his senses and he did his father’s wish. The second son said ‘Yes’ but later, he did nothing. It is really a very simple and ordinary story that that illustrates something that is well known to us as we all live in families. With this ordinary story, Jesus confronted the Pharisees who, being religiously well informed people, should have recognized Him as the Messiah and should have welcomed Him enthusiastically. Instead, they repeatedly opposed Him and even tried to impede His work and to prevent the ordinary people from believing in Him and following Him.

This story is centered on two good points: the first one is that we should always combine words and deeds; the second is a call to make a change in our life. The first thing we learn from this gospel is that Jesus is teaching us to consider the relationship between words and deeds; the relationship between our faith and our actions. We must strive to translate our noble promises into noble performances, we must carry out our fine words into fine deeds. Some people think that they are good because they followed all the laws. They will promise anything, make solemn declaration of piety and fidelity. But their practice opposes their words.

Our world today is full of falseness, deceit and ‘double meaning’. This gospel calls us to honesty that is, being true, particularly in what we say and do in our relationship with God and with our neighbor. Jesus looks today at me and you; he looks at my religious practices. He looks at my rosary hanging in my car but not so often in my hands. He looks at me going to Mass every Sunday, but still closing my eyes on my neighbor in need. Some people say: “talk is cheap if not followed up by action

The second thing we learn from this gospel is that Christian life is about making a change in life, Christian life is about repentance, Christian life is about conversion. It is said in our gospel: Afterwards, he changed his mind and went. We certainly know people who changed their ways of living: hardened sinners do repent and change their manner of life and actually give inspiring examples to others. And unfortunately there are also good people who fall away from their virtuous life and renounce the Lord and His Church. How do we make a change in our Christian life? Are we on the side of saying “yes” with our lips, or are we on the side of coming back to our senses and make a change?

Today’s first reading, from the prophet Ezekiel, speaks loud to us. As you heard, the Lord makes it very clear that people who repent and change their ways can count on being warmly received by Him. That is what this short story tells us. As the mother saw her son burring the parrot in the sand, God knows whatever we hide from him. He only waits for us to come and repent. And as long as we don’t repent, then our conscious we remain burdened by we the mistakes we committed. We will remain slaves of Satan, doing all his chores because we don’t want to come back and repent. We have the guarantee of forgiveness and grace. Our God, who is gracious, is a forgiving God. He tell us that “He who has chosen to renounce all his sins shall certainly live.” The only people who are able to really change their lives for the better are those who are humble enough to recognize and admit their own faults, their own failings, their own sins and make amend.