GOSPEL POWER - DECEMBER 15, 2020 - 3RD WEEK OF ADVENT

Gospel: Mt 21:28-32

 Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people, “What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.”

REFLECTION

T he first son’s change-of-mind results in obedience. To go “beyond the mind” is the literal meaning of the Greek metanoia, usually translated as “conversion.” For the Jews, the seat of thoughts, plans, decisions and choices is the heart. Thus, “conversion” is more often regarded as a change-of-heart. Tax collectors and prostitutes represented a big “NO” to a pattern of righteousness shaped by law observance and ritual purity. Thus, they were treated as outcasts of society. John the Baptist invited them to a change-of-heart that would open their lives to the Kingdom and to a new pattern of righteousness. They said “Yes” to John’s invitation. The chief priests and elders represented a “YES” to legalistic and ritualistic righteousness. It offered them security that they could not let go of, even when they were being invited to a new way of relating with God and with all of reality. They turned down the offer of Kingdom-righteousness.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, empower us to go through the needed change that will welcome the Kingdom into our lives. Amen.