26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

As you heard the readings this weekend, what words struck you?

The readings today are rich with meaning that for many of us, it might be challenging to pick out any one message. For me, there were two lines. The first comes from the first reading from Ezekiel, “You say, ‘The LORD’s way is not fair!’” (Ezekiel 18:25, NAB). And the second line comes from the Gospel, “Jesus said to them, ‘Amen I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are going ahead of you into the kingdom of God’” (Matthew 21:31).

My brothers and sisters, every weekend, we are being challenged with readings that are trying to shape our discipleship. And this weekend’s readings do not disappoint! In today’s Gospel, we hear the story of two sons. The first son refuses to do what his father asked. He threw a tantrum! In a culture where sons are supposed to honor and obey their fathers, the son’s reaction is offensive. <1> But the son reconsiders and goes out into the vineyard. The second son pays lip service to his dad, saying what his dad wants to hear, but he never goes into the vineyard.

When Jesus asks people which son did his father’s will, it so obvious to everyone – even the chief priests and elders agree. But what Jesus says next shocks them. “Amen, I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are going ahead of you into the kingdom of God” (Matthew 21:31). Whoa! Ezekiel’s words, “The LORD’s way is not fair!” (Ezekiel 18:25, NAB), sound so true! How is it fair that blatant sinners are getting into heaven first?

It’s like we discussed last weekend. We might start out on the same path as God, but at some point, we veer off course. We don’t know it – we might not even want to believe that we’re off course because we are so convinced in how right we are – in the soundness of our thoughts.

Gradually, we equate our way with God’s will, and we might not even realize it, but self-interest begins to creep into our thinking. Can’t we say that at some level, that’s what was operating in the minds of plantation owners in the South when they used Scripture to justify slavery and racism? They violently rejected any interpretation of God’s Revelation in Jesus Christ that challenged their way of life. The threw tantrums!

Perhaps, it’s easy to look back on history and approach it with more clarity then they had at the time. And yet, we too suffer from similar blinders to the events in our own time. That’s the only way I can come to terms with the ugliness of the many Brexit debates or the current presidential campaign in the US. We think we are so right and they are so wrong that we refuse to consider anything else. What tantrums do I throw? Maybe when we come to mass, we pay “lip service to God,” focused only on our vision of God.

Could that be why we didn’t see anything wrong with separating babies from their illegal immigrant parents? Or why we don’t object to efforts to gut access to affordable healthcare? Maybe that’s why some police convinced themselves that it’s ok to cross the line and murder black Americans in custody? Is that why police officers burst into the Breonna Taylor’s apartment and murdered her? I know we don’t have all the facts in her case. Still, I hope and pray there was something substantial to move the grand jury to acquit the police officers who killed Breonna, especially since they returned three counts of wanton endangerment in the first degree against one police officer who fired blindly into three of Breonna’s white neighbors’ apartments. Where is the justice? Of course, people are upset because the poison of racism is so entrenched in our culture we can’t help but doubt the impartiality of the grand jury’s work.

Graphic that says be transformed by the eucharist. Jesus emptied himself in service to others. how can i think like Jesus thinks? www.deaconrudysnotes.org

But there is hope. Yes, even in these turbulent political times, there is hope!

St. Paul, in today’s second reading says, now listen to this: If there is any comfort in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any solidarity of the Spirit, if there is any compassion or pity, fill up my joy: [I want] you to think the same, have the same love, and be of one mind, with just a single thought, with no thoughts that are in line with selfish ambition or empty conceit. No – in humility, think of each other as your superiors; don’t be each of you looking to your own [interests]; instead, look to each other’s interest. Let your thinking be what was in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:1-5).

And then Paul gives us the beautiful hymn to Jesus – Jesus took the form of a slave and emptied himself in service to others. What a challenge! My brothers and sisters, we are not called to imitate Jesus mindlessly. We are called to assimilate ourselves into Jesus’ way of thinking. <2> And we can’t do that unless we are willing to consider the possibility that we might not be as right as we think we are. We can’t assimilate ourselves into Jesus’ way of thinking unless we are ready to believe that the person with whom we disagree with is more important than the ideas we are arguing over.

May the Eucharist and the work of the Holy Spirit transform us so that we become stewards of justice in this world!

Homework! Nourished by the Eucharist today and perhaps a little troubled by the Word of God today, I ask you to do the following at least two or three times this week beginning today,

Prayerfully read and reflect on today’s second reading, Paul’s letter to the Philippians 2:1-11, and ask yourself what you think God is asking you to do.
Here is one approach you could take:
1. Ask God what he wants you to learn from this reading.
2. Pause for a few seconds.
3. Then read the passage at least once – slowly and deliberately.
4. Pause for a few seconds.
5. Picture a small light in the very center of your body. Now picture it growing slowly. Soon your whole body is in this light. Can you feel the warmth?
6. Resting in God’s presence, think about the words of this Scripture passage. What jumps out at you? Why? What is it God is trying to show you? You may spend as much or a little time as you’d like to do this.
7. As you finish, hear Christ’s words: Go and do likewise.

Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit:
Cover: Breonna Taylor: Art by Ariel Sinha (IG: @arielsinhaha). Used with permission.
2nd: Deacon Rudy Villarreal. PNG file.

Notes:
Unless otherwise indicated, all Bible quotes are taken from The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.
1. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010), Kindle, 275.
2. Hamm, Dennis, SJ, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics), 2013. Kindle, “The Best Example of All: Christ’s Self-Emptying Love and Service.”

References:
1. Hamm, Dennis, SJ. Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2013. Kindle.
2. Marchionda, James, OP. “Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time.” Know Before You Go. 22 September 2020. Accessed 27 September 2020. https://www.opcentral.org/node/3424.
3. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Jesus the Lord, 201, 449
2. The Lordship of Christ, 446-461
3. The Word become flesh, 461
4. Docetism, 465
5. Christ is God and man, 472, 602, 705, 713, 1224, 2812
6. Jesus as our model, 520
7. John the Baptist, 535
8. Parables, 546
9. Life in Christ, 1694, 2842
10. Just person distinguished by habitual rectitude toward others, 1807
11. The obligation of social justice, 1928-30, 2425-26
12. Concern for others, 2635-36
13. Prayer, 2641, 2667
14. “Thy will be done,” 2822-27
15. Only Holy Spirit can give us the mind of Christ, 2842

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092720.cfm
Lectionary: 136

Reading 1
Ezekiel 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 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
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
Philippians 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.

Alleluia
John 10:27
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Matthew 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.”

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