26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A, Year II)
Community Word: Disciples of Christ who gather in His name love one another.
Theme: We love one another when we change our ways and follow Jesus.
Promise: “But if he turns from the wickedness he has committed, and does what is right and just, he shall preserve his life.” (Ez 18:27)
Reflection:
There are various life-lessons the Parable of the Two Sons opens out to us: How do we respond to the Father’s call: with a boastful ‘no’ or a doubtful ‘yes’? As true Christians we should do as Jesus did. Be the perfect Son who is unconditionally obedient to the Father’s will all the way and in every way, not only saying ‘yes’ but also doing the Father’s will.
A parallel story-lesson can be gleaned from the First Reading: A morally upright person who has been virtuous all his life but, after turning away from righteousness, later dies, shall not save his life. But a person who has been sinful all of his life but turns away from his sins before he dies, shall preserve his life. It is to these converted persons that God promises eternal life: “When a wicked man turns away from the wickedness and does what is right and just, he shall preserve his life” (Ez 18:27). Could there really be some unfairness in this, as the early Israelites cried out, when tax collectors and prostitutes, who change their ways and repent, receive salvific assurance over the chief priests and elders?
Perhaps the reason many Catholics lack knowledge and are haphazard in the practice of their faith is because they are not in the habit of reading the word of God. Hence, they practice or follow only those parts they are comfortable with or which suit their preferences. For convenience or other reasons, they claim membership to the Church; but their actions are far from the Church teachings. Thus they become confused, begin to fall-out, or become easy prey for recruitment by aggressive spiritual charlatans.
The theme for the 26th Sunday: “We love one another when we change our ways and follow Jesus” challenges us on the issue of how we are living our Christian life and faith. Very often, people say “yes” but do not keep their promises, as in the case of broken marriage vows. Couples commit to stay together for “better or for worse, in sickness or in health,” but unceremoniously separate when confronted with life-trials. We pray to be forgiven as we forgive others, but don’t really mean it; or we project holiness in church but cheat, lie, steal, abuse or bully others. It is easy to call ourselves Christian, but it is hard to be Christ-like.
Today, it is often said that if people listen to teachers, it is because they (the teachers) are good witnesses. People want to see consistency in what we say and what we do, to ‘walk our talk’, and be what we say we are. No matter how hard we strike our chest during the acknowledgment of sins portion of the mass, it is meaningless if there is no genuine life-change. What is necessary is neither wisdom nor knowledge, nor the ability to speak eloquently, but change of heart and attitude.
As baptized Christians, God wants us to act and live out our faith. Pride and self-righteousness distance us from conversion, while humility leads us to it. Knowledge of the law, beautifully crafted prayers, and alms-giving are all good, but do not guarantee salvation. The Lord looks at the heart. Let us do our best to practice our faith and show God that we believe in Him by living a life of good words and good deeds.
No matter how far we have strayed from God, it is never too late to turn back, and we can be absolutely sure that a warm, no-questions-asked God waits to welcome us with wide-open arms. We can be set free from all our sins if we repent for our failings and faults and return humbly to the Lord. St. Paul tells us, “Your attitude should be the same as Jesus Christ’s” (Phil. 2:5). Jesus is a perfect “yes” to the will of the Father. Let His “yes” His love, and His obedience be reflected in our daily lives, in our words and especially in all our deeds.
Reflection Questions:
1. With which son do I identify myself more? How can I be a more responsible child of God?
2. Do I mean my prayers and consider them my covenant with my God?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
September 28, 2014 (Sun) Ez 18:25-28/Ps 25:4-5,6-7,8-9/Phil 2:1-11/Mt 21:28-32
September 29, 2014 (Mon) Dn 7:9-10,11-14 or Rv 12:7-12/Ps 138:1-2,2-3,4-5/Jn 1:47-51
September 30, 2014 (Tues) Jb 3:1-3,11-17,20-23/Ps 88:2-3,4-5,6,7-8/Lk 9:51-56
October 1, 2014 (Wed) Jb 9:1-12,14-16/Ps 88:10-11,12-13,14-15/Lk 9:57-62
October 2, 2014 (Thurs) Ex 23:20-23/Ps 91:1-2,3-4,5-6,10-11/Mt 18:1-5,10
October 3, 2014 (Fri) Jb 38:1,12-214;40:3-5/Ps 139:1-3,7-8,9-10,13-14/Lk 10:13-16
October 4, 2014 (Sat) Jb 42:1-3,5-6,12-16/Ps 119:66,71,75,91,125,130/Lk 10:17-24
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
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