>>>> St. John of the Cross – Pray for Us!
The Poor and Sinners – Open to the Word
Introduction
God had spoken continually to his people in words and deeds, yet they did not listen. But among them a remnant of poor people will return to God. With them, all the pagan, sinful nations will come to serve God. Sinners who recognize their poverty, are perhaps more open to God than those who boast of being righteous. Through them, their faithfulness and zeal, all of the people, even outsiders, are inspired and become better.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
you are close to the poor and the repentant.
Do not allow us to be proud,
that we may not trust in ourselves
but teach us to be humble and lowly,
that we may recognize our limitations
and be open to you and to your coming
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
1 Reading: Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13
Thus says the LORD: Woe to the city, rebellious and polluted, to the tyrannical city! She hears no voice, accepts no correction; In the LORD she has not trusted, to her God she has not drawn near. For then I will change and purify the lips of the peoples, That they all may call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one accord; From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia and as far as the recesses of the North, they shall bring me offerings. On that day you need not be ashamed of all your deeds, your rebellious actions against me; for then will I remove from your midst the proud braggarts, and you shall no longer exalt yourself on my holy mountain. But I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly, who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD: the remnant of Israel. They shall do no wrong and speak no lies; nor shall there be found in their mouths a deceitful tongue; they shall pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them.
Responsorial Psalm 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-18, 19 and 23
R. (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad. R.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him. R.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them. R.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him. R.
Alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia.
Come, O Lord, do not delay;
forgive the sins of your people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.”
Commentary
Do what you preach
Today, the Church celebrates the memorial of St. John of the Cross, who initiated the spiritual renewal of his own religious community. Ordained a Carmelite priest in 1567 at age 25, John met Teresa of Avila and vowed himself to the Rule of the Carmelites. As partner with Teresa, John engaged in the work of reforming his own community, and came to experience the price of reform: increasing opposition, misunderstanding, persecution and imprisonment. He came to experience the dying of Jesus—as he spent his days in the cistern, with Jesus on the Cross as his only companion.
In today’s Gospel, through the parable of the two sons, who were asked to work in their vineyard, Jesus expresses his annoyance over the rejection of the Message of the Kingdom by those who were expected to be members of God’s Kingdom by default. Priests and elders of the community were the ones who were learned and had access to the Scriptures. They regarded themselves to have automatic access to God’s kingdom while prostitutes and tax collectors were regarded public sinners and couldn’t even dream of reaching anywhere near.
It would be wrong to interpret that Jesus was condoning the sinful behaviour of the crooks and prostitutes. Explaining this text, sometimes we hear phrases such as “those who do not go to Mass are better than those who do”, or “What is important is not about going to Mass, but being a good person.”
In fact, Jesus does not exalt sinners for being sinners, nor denounce the Pharisees for their righteousness. What he appreciates in the sinners is their disposition to conversion and to act promptly towards the good. John the Baptist preached a message of conversion and he was greatly appreciated by the common people who were regarded as public sinners; while the priests and officials rejected him. Now Jesus faces the similar reaction – ordinary people and public sinners became his friends and accepted his message while the “officially righteous” people rejected him.
The two sons in the parable represent all the Children of God and the Father represent God the Father. The son who disagrees to go the vineyard stands for those who because of their sinful behaviour, have moved away from the Father. But later he decided to change his ways and obeys the father. The son who says yes but does not obey stands for those who scrupulously followed the law even at the cost of charity and mercy.
This parable is a call to examine the quality of our lives. When we fail to live by the Gospel even as we claim to follow Christ, believing ourselves to be superior to others, and despising in some way those who are far from the faith, today’s Gospel is a warning. To follow Jesus is to live by his Gospel. Be Christians of action and not Christians of words alone.
Intercessions
– For the Church, that it may recognize more that it is in constant need of reform so that its members can become more like Jesus, we pray:
– For the poor among us, that we may share more with them what we have and treat them better as human persons, we pray: Lord, come and save us.
– That, aware of the poverty of our hearts, we may become less pretentious and more open to Christ, we pray: Lord, come and save us.
Prayer over the Gifts
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we pray you today to share with us
the bread of your Son,
the bread of the poor.
Let him come among us, stay with us
and accept in these humble signs
our sincere will to do with him your will.
And when we fail to live up to our promise,
come again and forgive us,
for you are our strength
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Prayer after Communion
Loving Father, we ask you again
before we return to our daily task:
Make us aware that we need your Son Jesus.
Keep us open to his coming,
that we may recognize him when he visits us
in the events of life,
in our neighbour who cries out for help
or who waits for a word of encouragement,
for he is our hope
now and for ever. Amen!
Blessing
Jesus will live among us if we are a people humble and lowly, who seek with Jesus the will of the Father. Perhaps then some who think they don’t belong will join us. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!