26th Sunday Reflection

26^TH SUNDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER 2020:

EZEKIEL 18. 25-28; PHILIPPIANS 2. 1-11; MATTHEW 21. 28-32

Focus: Life looks different and person becomes changed, when he puts on the same attitude of Christ, and acts with the same mindset of God

1.     Last Sunday, the parable of the workers in the vineyard, through the generosity of the owner, had invited us to put on and act with the mindset of God. This Sunday’s first reading from the prophet Ezekiel continues the same theme. This text is also a clear example of the mind-set and the ways of God, in contrast to that of the world. Specifically, it is the contrast between God’s way of assessment and retribution.

2.     In ordinary human standards, God’s way is unfair, because punishing and condemning a righteous person who falls to sin, looks an excessive severity, and a gross disregard for all his past good. On the other hand, forgiving and granting life and salvation to a wicked who turns away from evil to good, looks an exaggerated indulgence and a net disregard for the principle of justice which holds every culpable act to be punishable.

3.     The focus here is the contrasting mindset of God. The point is not so much about ignoring one’s good or indulging one’s bad. It is a beautiful indication of the blend between God’s justice and mercy, in contrast to the ordinary dichotomy between human justice and mercy: often there is a tension and disharmony between the principles of justice and mercy, so much so justice excludes mercy, and mercy excludes justice. Consequently, one is either rigid and punitive, in the name of justice, or one is flexible and lenient, in the name of mercy.

4.     In the divine perspective under justice, the righteous who turns away from the right path, deliberately and willingly, in all freedom and intelligence, is punishable for his rushing into evil. And in the divine perspective under mercy, the wicked who turns away from evil, repenting and regaining the lost grace, is pardonable for his new espousal with good.

5.     While the humans are inclined to condemnation and punishment, God is inclined to transformation and reward. Besides, human life is not a mere collection of good and bad actions, but a matter of fundamental choice which leads to either of actions. Life is not to be taken in a quantitative sense, which calculates the number of good or bad actions, but life must be understood in a qualitative sense, which considers the quality and perseverance of good actions.

6.     This is the same attitude, seen in Jesus, an epitome of kenosis or self-emptying. As per divine justice, he atoned for our sins, being crushed on the cross on behalf of us; and as per divine mercy, he obtained and gifted salvation for us, even though we are unworthy and undeserving.

7.     We as God’s children and followers of Christ, ought to put on the same mindset of God and the same attitude of Jesus. A concrete testimony of this is a profound sense of repentance and conversion. Jesus drives home this message very powerfully through his simple story of the two sons in the gospel. Quite evidently, the first son who says no at first to the father’s command but then repents and goes to work, stands for the gentiles: they repent as God offers His salvation, and turn to a new way of life through faith in Jesus. But the second son, who says yes but does not do, stands for the Jews: they were the first ones, to whom God offered salvation through His only Son, Jesus; but by rejecting to believe in him, they turn unfaithful.

8.     Perhaps, a little sincere reflection may make it clear to us that we are very much similar to the righteous person turning to evil in the first reading, and the second son in the gospel. God has been abundantly gracious to us, blessing us with the greatest gift of faith in Jesus, and enriching us with every spiritual blessing. What is expected from our part is a life of authenticity and loyalty. This is possible only when we imitate Christ’s own way of self-emptying. This needs a deep and consistent conversion. This implies what Paul exhorts in his letter to the Philippians: be humble, and do nothing out of selfishness or vainglory.

9.     How much do we persevere in God’s path of righteousness? How much we are self-emptying and self-giving? How often do we easily fall to vainglory and arrogance? How often do we deceive God with mere words and promises which are so tall and loud? How often do we say one thing and do exactly the opposite? How often do we deliberately forfeit God’s grace, being presumptuous and self-complacent? It is a time to check and control!

Direction: The quality of our faith and Christian living does not consist in mere words and promises, even fantastic; What is the use of a bundle of sweet sounding "yes"s, when the concrete life is a series of "no"s, negation of what we believe?