This weeks gospel Matthew 21:28-32 Jesus tells a group religious leaders a parable. In the parable a man has two sons, he asks one of them to go work in the vineyard. At first the son’s response is no but, in the end he does what the father requests. Then the man asks his second son to work in the vineyard. The son answers yes but, actually never does any of the work. Jesus then asks the religious leaders who they thought followed the father’s wishes in the parable. They answered the first son... which was in a some ways condemnation of themselves. The religious leaders, like the second son were all talk. Jesus, then let the religious leaders know that they were hypocrites for seeing the flaw in the second son but not in themselves.
After reading this gospel I saw how I can be no different from the two sons and the religious leaders. The first son had no intention on working in the vineyard. He told his father no but, something happened. Something changed in him that led him back to vineyard to do the work. I can say that Jesus is good at getting you to change. Have you ever had your heart changed? Just like that first son, I have had my heart changed. These days I throughly enjoy quiet time in prayer and my relationship with Jesus. I wasn’t always like this. Prayer was something that I did. I did it because I thought I was supposed to. I prayed because I was told to do it. Then something changed in me. I started to look forward to being with Jesus. Prayer has become a time for me to connect with the lord. That’s what Jesus can do if you let him. He changed the way I feel about prayer. The first son may have said no to his father but, ultimately ended up in the vineyard exactly where his father wanted him.
I also saw how I’m not that different from the second son. The second was basically all talk and no action. I’ve been there. I have made plans to be a better follower of Jesus, made plans to forgive people. I’ve even made plans to forgive myself and have fallen short on many of those. Haven’t we all been a little like that? Haven’t we all had the right intentions yet, take little action? I think that happens when we are distracted. The world has a funny way of getting our attention and pulling us off course every now and then. The parable doesn’t mention why the second son didn’t work on the vineyard but we know he didn’t get it done. He lost his way, no different from the times we lose our way to the vineyard. It happens when life gets in our way and we forget the importance of Jesus in our loves. Luckily, the lord is there to redirect us and keep us focused on what’s he wants for us.
Like the religious leaders, I too can be a little hypocritical. They recognized that the second son was “lost” but didn’t realize that they were lost as well. So many of us including me, can see someone else’s shortcomings before we see our own. My experience has been that if I can see a flaw or shortcoming in someone else it’s usually because I have the same flaw myself. I believe that God never misses. Never, ever, ever, misses. So if you need to be redirected or grown in a certain aspect of your life, God will find way to get you the message. Maybe it’s by bringing someone who is just like you into your vineyard so you can see who you truly are. I ask you, who are most like in the today’s gospel? Are you the son with a changed heart? Maybe you’re the son who has the right intentions but falls victim to the worlds distractions? Maybe you’re the religious leader who sees the flaws in every one but themselves? No matter who it is, the lord will find a way to get you right where you are supposed to be in the vineyard.
-Anonymous
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