MEDITATION.
26TH SUNDAY, ORDINARY TIME, CYCLE A.
Jesus extends his helping hand towards us today. Are we ready to receive him!
Ezekiel 18:25-28
“But you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear,
you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? If a
righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die
for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. But if a wicked
person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just
and right, they will save their life. Because they consider all the offenses
they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they
will not die.”
Matthew 21:28-32
“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons.
He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I
will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father
went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but
he did not go. Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they
answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the
prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you
to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax
collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not
repent and believe him.”
Meditation:
In these passages, the consistent message of
repentance and genuine transformation stands out. Both the prophet Ezekiel and
Jesus Christ, in the Gospels, stress the importance of authentic conversion —
of truly turning one's heart and life towards God.
In Ezekiel, we are confronted with the notion of
justice. The Israelites
accuse God’s way as being unjust, yet God redirects the focus onto the actions
and choices of the people. It's a strong reminder that our actions have
consequences, and God's judgment is based on the authenticity of our repentance
and conversion. One's past righteousness cannot justify current sins, and
likewise, one's past wickedness does not prevent the grace of redemption upon
true conversion.
Jesus’ Parable of the two sons:
Matthew’s Gospel narrative vividly presents two sons
with contrasting reactions. The first son, initially resistant, eventually does
his father's will. The second, although initially obedient in speech, fails to
follow through in action. This draws our attention to the significance of
authentic witnessing. As Christians, mere verbal proclamation of faith is not
enough. Our faith in Jesus, who is the way, truth, and life, must be visible in
our actions.
The call for authentic transformation and repentance: For those of us called to witness to Jesus, this
reflection serves as a reminder that genuine faith is transformative. It's not
about merely saying the right things but about embodying the message of Christ
in our lives. It's about a continuous journey of turning back to God,
especially when we falter, and allowing God's grace to change us from the
inside out.
The tax collectors and prostitutes mentioned by Jesus
exemplify this. Their lives, once far from God, were transformed by genuine
repentance and belief in the message of John the Baptist, and later, in Jesus
Himself. They embody authentic conversion and are an example for all of us. As
Pope Francis once said : “God is never tired of forgiving us, but we sometimes are tired of asking God’s
forgiveness. He is a loving Father who always forgives.” (Message from the 1st
Angelus of Pope Francis on 17 march, 2013).
Embracing authenticity in our Christian Journey: In our journey as witnesses for Christ, let's seek
authenticity over superficiality. Our mission on earth is primarily to work for
the advent of the Kingdom of God. St Paul insists that “the Kingdom of God
is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and
peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”.
Let us be Christians who, when they say ‘yes’ to God,
truly mean it and showcase it in their lives. Our Blessed Mother Mary remain a
model of ‘yes’ to divine will in our lives. This is the most powerful testament
to the truth and transformative power of Jesus Christ. We cannot do this with our human strenght; but with divine grace in our lives, our 'yes' to God's will will be always and everywhere.
A Prayer for Authentic Conversion
Heavenly Father, source of all truth and justice,
Guide our hearts to seek genuine transformation,
May we not merely utter words of faith, but live them.
Help us, O Lord, to recognize our own missteps,
And grant us the grace to turn back to You with
sincere repentance.
May we embody the lessons of the repentant tax
collectors and prostitutes,
Finding redemption and grace in our moments of
weakness.
Strengthen us to be true witnesses of Christ’s love,
Not just in our words, but in every deed and every
choice.
We make our prayer through Jesus Christ, our guiding
light and Savior,
Amen.
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