26th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A
Commit to a New Direction
Rev. Mr. James Fourcade

The readings today ask us a very direct question:  Is our faith only something we talk about or something that changes how we live our lives? 

Ezekiel, in our first reading, speaks of turning away from sin and choosing what is right.  In our second reading, St. Paul places before us the humility and self-emptying love of Jesus.  In the Gospel, Jesus tells of two sons – one who says “no” but later obeys his father, the other son says “yes” to his father and then disobeys.  Together, these readings teach us that God desires more than good intentions. He desires a converted heart that becomes a life of loving obedience.

In the first reading, the people are complaining “God’s way is not fair”.  Ezekiel is prophesying to the Jews who were in exile in Babylon.  They feel they were exiled in Babylon and thus punished for the sins of their fathers for not following God.  But Ezekiel shares that God is inviting them to examine their own ways.  He goes on to tell them they are being held accountable for the sins of their fathers but only for their own sins.  It is easy for us to do the same thing.  We may blame our upbringing, maybe circumstances that arose, or even blaming someone else.  Certainly, wounds and circumstances can deeply affect us.  Yet Ezekiel reminds us that, with God’s grace, we are not prisoners of the past.  We remain capable of repentance, and repentance means more than feeling sorry.  It means turning our lives around and choosing a new direction for our lives.  The truth Ezekiel is teaching, is listen to God, take ownership of our sins, repent and return to Him – the past is the past, the opportunity for a new direction is now.

Consider a driver who discovers that he has been traveling in the wrong direction.  It would make no sense to continue simply driving on because he has already driven several miles.  The wise thing to do is turn around.  So, it is in our spiritual life.  If we find ourselves struggling with resentment, self-pity, self-centeredness, anger, pride, greed – stop and go a new direction.  We cannot erase the deeds of yesterday, but by the grace of God we can change directions today.  In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Lord does not humiliate those who confess their sins and return to Him; he restores us and gives us strength for a new beginning, a new direction. 

What does a new direction look like?  St. Paul tell us: “Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus.”  Jesus does not cling to privilege – He certainly has a right to … He is God.  Instead, He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and was obedient even unto death on a cross.  This is the pattern of Christian life.  Humility is not denying the gifts God gave us. Humility is refusing to use those gifts just for ourselves.  It is placing our strength, time, influence, and attention not for our own interests, but for those others.

We see this kind of humility in ordinary moments; a parent who listens patiently to his child after an exhausting day at work, a supervisor who shares credit and accepts responsibility, a parishioner who quietly visits or listens to someone who is lonely, or a family member who chooses reconciliation instead of winning an argument.  The world too often tells us that greatness means being noticed, being first, or having control.  The Cross tells us something entirely different; greatness is found in self-giving love.  When we kneel before Christ in prayer and receive him in the Eucharist, we are also being sent to recognize and serve him in the people around us.

That brings us to the two sons in our gospel.  The first son says “no” to his fathers’ request to work in the vineyard but later changes his mind and goes to work.  The second son says “yes” but does not go to the vineyard. 

The vineyard in the parable is the justice of God imposed upon those who follow Him.  His justice is planted generously in the nature of all people.  The first son represents the tax collectors and prostitutes, the social outcasts who initially said “no” to hearing John the Baptists’ preaching on repentance but later said “yes”.  They repented, changing their minds and behavior and so are embarking on  a new path, new direction.  The second son represents  the Pharisees, scribes and elders who had the same opportunity of repentance, seeing the error of their ways by saying “yes” but after hearing the preaching of John the Baptist, and witnessing the response from the tax collectors and prostitutes refused to accept John as a messenger from God and said “no” to God.     

In the parable, Jesus is not praising disrespect of the sons to their father; he is showing that a real change of heart is better than an empty promise.  The first sons’ “no” is not the end of his story.  The second sons’ polite “yes” is not enough.  What finally matters is which son does the father’s will.

Imagine a tornado destroying a neighbor’s home.  Needing help, they approach a couple of neighbors who were untouched by the storm, asking for help cleaning up their property.  One neighbor says “I am too busy” but later shows up with his wheel barrel and shovel and starts cleaning up debris.  The other neighbor warmly agrees to help but never shows up.  The first person’s changed decision becomes love in action; the second person’s words remain only words.  The same test applies to us.  We may say that forgiveness matters, but are we willing to make the first call?  We may say that the poor deserve care, but do we give anything of ourselves?  We may say that faith is important, but does prayer have a real place in our lives?

The good news is that God allows us to change our answer.  If we have said “no” through sin, indifference, or fear, today can become our “yes”.  Ezekiel assures us that turning back leads to life.  St. Paul shows us the humble path of Christ.  Jesus reminds us that our response must become action.  Catholic discipleship therefore moves from repentance to the mind of Christ, to concrete works of mercy and obedience.

As we approach the altar today, let us ask for the grace to examine our lives honestly.  Where must I turn around?  Whom am I being called to serve?  What promise made to God or to another person must finally become our action?  May the Eucharist form in us the mind of Christ, so that our words and our lives may say the same thing:  “Yes, Father, I will go to your vineyard!”