"God is not a deceiver, that He should offer to support us, and then, when we lean upon Him, should slip away from us."
- St. Augustine -
(So trust in God. Where do you need to do this more in your life?)
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Zep 3:1-2, 9-13; Psalm 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-18, 19 and 23
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.”
Reflection on the Scriptures
In today’s Gospel reading, Matthew provides the parable of the two sons. Jesus is in the company of the chief priests and the elders and offers the parable of a father who asks each son to go out and work in the vineyard. The first initially says “I will not,” but afterwards changes his mind (possibly repents) and works the vineyard. The other son initially says “Yes, sir,” but did not follow through. Jesus
asks, “Which of the two did his father’s will? They answered, “The first.” Jesus agrees, but reminds them that “tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you.”
Wow – I have to believe that the chief priests and elders were pretty dumbfounded by what Jesus had to say. Easier for tax collectors and prostitutes to enter the Kingdom of God than us? Really? To me, Jesus’ point is pretty clear. God is asking us to do his work – the work modeled so well by Jesus. And we have a choice – we can talk a big game, but not follow through or we can eventually heed his message and do
what’s right. Thankfully, God is patient and gives us time to not only accept His calling, but to act accordingly. Again, it’s the walk, not the talk, that counts.
- by Michael Kavan
The Son of God Became Human
From The Catechism of the Catholic Church
Part One, Section Two, Chapter Three
Article 8: I Believe in the Holy Spirit
V. THE SPIRIT AND THE CHURCH IN THE LAST DAYS
The Holy Spirit - God's Gift
735 He, then, gives us the "pledge" or "first fruits" of our inheritance: the very life of the Holy Trinity, which is to love as "God [has] loved us."127 This love (the "charity" of 1 Cor 13) is the source of the new life in Christ, made possible because we have received "power" from the Holy Spirit.128
736 By this power of the Spirit, God's children can bear much fruit. He who has grafted us onto the true vine will make us bear "the fruit of the Spirit: . . . love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."129 "We live by the Spirit"; the more we renounce ourselves, the more we "walk by the Spirit."130
Through the Holy Spirit we are restored to paradise, led back to the Kingdom of heaven, and adopted as children, given confidence to call God "Father" and to share in Christ's grace, called children of light and given a share in eternal glory.131
(Footnote references in the Catechism.)
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