Don't just say it, live it!

XXVI Sunday "A" Matthew 21:28-32 Don't just say it, live it! 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."

Today's gospel, like last Sunday's, says the Reign of God is like a vineyard, and we the workers of the vineyard! Last Sunday I said that I don't like this image because we are not workers, we are sons and daughters and God is not the land owner, but a loving father. So why is it that Jesus continues to use this example? Simply because some of the Pharisees did not like this idea that the kingdom of God was a place for everyone, they thought that they had more rights than others. Like last Sunday's gospel, they thought that they deserved more because they were more faithful, more just, more holy than the others. It was one thing to let sinners, prostitutes etc. enter the kingdom of God. But at least they were not going to be in the same place, at least that is what the Pharisees thought. Obviously, Jesus told this parable to show why he was proclaiming the good news to sinners, those excluded from the kingdom of God. "The tax collectors and prostitutes who receive me now will enter the kingdom of God before you who criticize me for eating with them." The parable is a proclamation of God's mercy toward sinners and in fact it is Jesus' main message throughout the Gospels. I always think that the Pharisees problem wasn’t that they weren’t good. No, their problem was that they thought they were better than everybody else. This is always the problem. When we make comparisons. So what should be our position in relation to others? I think we can find the answer in today's second reading from the letter to the Philippians. As St. Paul said to the Philippians, have the same sentiments that Christ Jesus had. May our relationship with other Christians be marked by unity, love, humility, and consideration for the interests of others. In doing so, we must show the same attitude that Christ showed when he humbled himself to become man and die on the cross. Jesus gave us an example of how to relate to others, an example we are invited to follow. The call, of course, is to see others not as others but as brothers and sisters. It is not important to make comparisons, nor to worry about those who have worked more or less. Nor about the holiest or most sinful. The important thing is to remember that we are sons and daughters of a God who loves us equally. I believe that this is the attitude of Jesus. To be concerned about others, to recognize that we are brothers and sisters. We want to enter the kingdom, we want to be in heaven, but... we want us all to go. Recently Pope Leo spoke of empathy. The Pharisees lacked empathy with others, Christ's attitude is one of love and compassion for all. They thought they were superior. If we are only concerned about our salvation we are not thinking like Christ, rather we are not Christians. It is not enough to just pronounce our faith, we have to live it. We have to put our faith into practice. When we get to the kingdom of heaven we will probably be surprised to see some of the people who got in, by some who are included, I hope we will not be surprised by those who didn’t.