Readings:

Ez. 18:25-28; Ps. 25; Phil. 2:1-11; Mt. 21:28-32

There is a single theme woven through our readings today. It is a message that has been spoken by the prophets of old, by John the Baptist, by Jesus, by St. Paul, and countless men and women of faith throughout the history of salvation. That message is: Repent. It seems to me this word has little meaning in our culture today, so let’s do a word study.

In Latin, the word repentance implies penitence, or sorrow for guilt, but in the Greek, the word is metanoia, which implies penitence as well as a conversion of the mind. The prefix meta implies that which goes beyond the physical realm, and noia comes from nous, which means “mind.” So, metanoia is a return of the mind to God, because whenever we make the move beyond that which is physical to that which is spiritual, it is an act of the mind, and such an act is one directed ultimately to God, who is the source of all knowledge and wisdom.

The prophet Ezekiel tells us that those who turn from the wickedness they commit and do what is right and just, shall preserve their life. The key to life, then, is the willful turning away from sin, or that which has led us away from God, and to embrace what is right and just. When we do so, we not only unite ourselves to the heart and mind of God, we begin to live according to his will.

St. Paul reminds us of God’s will for each of us by describing how the Christian should act. He says, “Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others.” Could you imagine how different the world would be if more people lived as St. Paul describes? And why should we? St. Paul tells us, because Jesus Christ himself did precisely that. He humbled himself and became a slave to carry out God’s will. He, who was one with God, the Creator, became one with us, the created. And by so doing, he not only showed us the way to the Father—a way of self-sacrifice and love—he opened the gates of heaven for all who wish to follow in his footsteps.

Jesus offers this invitation to all. In the Gospel, he reaches out to the chief priests and elders of the people. He was speaking to the political leadership of his day. The story he tells of the two sons, each of whom were given the same command, but only one of which actually carries it out, was actually a rebuke of the selfish ways of the elders. They were so consumed with their own interests, they could not hear the Father’s voice. Those who use their power to further themselves and their own agendas are not carrying out the will of the Father. But, those who do, even if they be the most egregious of sinners, tax collectors and prostitutes, they were entering the Kingdom of Heaven before the political swamp creatures of Jesus’ day. We might ask, are things any different in our day?

The simple solution, for those who are listening to the voice of God, for those who desire to carry out his will, is to repent, to turn away from sin and do what it right and just, to have a conversion of the mind, a conversion of our way of thinking, a re-orientation to what is Godly, rather than what is earthly. The world is sick, it is full of those who seek for personal gain. Sadly, those souls are not concerned with the well-being of others as they are their own wealth or status. No one should ever be a means to an end. The only way to ensure that they aren’t is to do what St. Paul said, to humbly regard others as more important than ourselves, and to do what Jesus said, to carry out the Father’s will.

When we turn away from sin and put aside our wants and desires for the sake of others, we are already making a return to the Father. This is something we do daily in our Christian lives. Yes, there may have been times when we found ourselves so far off the path that we were lost, but even then, the Father invites us to make a return. Why else would he have sent his only Son to be in solidarity with us in our human struggle, so that through his grace and love, we might all be one with him in the Spirit?

So, as we gather today at the table of the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith, let us be reminded of our need to make a return constantly to the Lord, to repent, to turn away from sin, and be nourished by the true Bread of Heaven. And as we make this journey of faith every Sunday, every day, every moment of our Christian life, may the Lord strengthen us in faith, so that we may be humble servants who, though sometimes might say, “I will not,” may afterward change our minds and commit all the more to love and serve the Lord all the days of our life.

Given during the COVID-19 pandemic.