26th Sunday of the Ordinary Time (Year- A)
Scriptures: Ezek. 18:25-28; Ps.24:4-9; Philip 2:1-11; Mt 21:28-32
For the last several years, I have been playing a group game called “Yes” and “No”. I have found this game very interesting. The game goes this way, each member gets 5 green peas then I ask them to converse in the group on any topic avoiding “Yes” and “No” in their conversation. The moment one says Yes or No, he/she has to hand over 1 green pea (Watana) to the other person. In the given time, the member who gets the maximum green peas (Watanas) is declared the winner. After explaining this to them I usually question them, “have you understood the game?” and many say, “Yes”, this is where they make the first mistake. And the game goes on.
Dear friends, it’s a game played with green peas but it shows us how reckless we are in our commitments when we say yes or no. Do we really live up to our commitments when we say Yes and No?
Today’s Gospel is simple yet challenging. This parable is found only in Matthew’s Gospel. Matthew in his unique way brings out the real problem which the Israelites faced during Jesus’ time. The father asked his two sons to work in the vineyard but their response to their father did not have any commitment. The first son said “No” to his father but later on did the will of the father. But his response/answer had made his father unhappy. He represents the group of tax collectors and the prostitutes who were considered unfaithful to Jewish Law. And the second son represents the Jewish leaders especially Pharisees and Sadducees who followed the Law meticulously. He said “Yes” to his father but did not follow his father’s will. Though they responded “Yes” and “No” they did exactly the opposite. However, Jesus passes no judgment on their answers but challenges the listeners to live their commitment and promises in their daily lives. He pulls them up to the judgment seat by asking a question “What do you think?” The answer will be our personal commitment to the will of God.
Prophet Ezekiel in the first reading reminds us that God lives up to his commitment although we fail to heed His call. The second reading to the Philippians gives us the example of Jesus who determinedly said “Yes” to the will of His father. He lived his “Yes” even at the cost of His life. Today we too are invited to live up to our “Yes’ and No’s” just like Jesus. Are we ready to take up this challenge?
As we have seen in the game that our yes’s and no’s don’t have any depth in them, we realize that this is reflected in our relationships and life. A couple says yes to each other in the sacrament of matrimony. They also commit themselves to be true to each other in bad and good times. What happens to their “Yes” when they face problems and difficulties? It’s a fact that Catholic couples are getting separated or asking for a divorce and the number is increasing day by day. Their yes to each other gets weighed down by their self-centeredness. The problems may be grave and varied according to the situation but separation and divorce is not the solution to their problem. We ask ourselves where our commitment w.r.t. our family is.
We have one more example of men and women who during the season of Lent say No to their bad habits like alcohol, smoking or chewing tobacco etc. Saying no to these long time partners for a short duration is always easy but once the season of Lent gets over, very often they succumb to the pressure and start their old way of life.
Those who find it difficult to live their commitment can find help in Jesus. He himself sets a high standard and becomes a model for us. One may ask the question how could we attain this perfection? The answer lies in our personal prayer life. Jesus remained committed to His father because he was a man of prayer. Whenever it was possible for him, he moved out and went to a lonely place to pray. He derived the needed strength from his personal union with His father. Therefore, he could do the will of His father. He inspires us to do the same. Someone once rightly said, “Our commitment to the will of God should be based on Christ, because he is the truth, the way and the life: it doesn’t have to rely on some worldly powers.” St. Paul realized this fact therefore he said in the second reading:
At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow,
Every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord.
