“Every liturgical celebration, because it is an action of Christ the Priest and of his Body, which is the Church, is a sacred action surpassing all others. No other action of the Church can equal its efficacy by the same title and to the same degree.” “But, in order that the Liturgy may be able to produce its full effects, it is necessary that the faithful come to it with proper dispositions, that their minds be attuned to their voices, and that they co-operate with heavenly grace lest they receive it in vain”(Constitution on the liturgy).
Matthews Gospel, as we have seen time and again is characteristically insistent on the necessity to harmonise the doing with the saying, practice with faith. Moreover, he unceasingly reminds Christians that they will be judged on their actions by the one they call “Lord”, hence those vigorous warnings to disciples to be on their guard against false securities that would lead to their loss. Today’s parable, about the two sons, proclaims the faithfulness to the Lord, which cannot just be a dazzling display of words. It must be one of following Jesus’ example, to do the will of the Father. It is a question of life and death.
The parable that shows us two sons asked by their father to work in his vineyard for the day is crystal clear. The first begins by refusing the request. “Afterwards he changed his mind and went.” The other immediately agrees, “Yes sir, but does not budge. There is no possible doubt the first one does his father’s will. What Jesus then declares is more unexpected.
“They say but don’t do.” How many times is this reproach addressed to Christians, to ecclesial communities, “to people of the cloth.” Rightly or wrongly? Does this reproach target us or others? Are those who denounce the gap between the words and actions of Christians and the Church, simply accustomed to being scandalised? Could we not retort that first they should remove the beam from their own eye, before trying to remove the splinter from ours? This sort of controversy leads nowhere; it only serves to harden positions in fruitless polemics and to reinforce self-satisfaction. Jesus himself confronts us here. In no way can we contest his right to do so and reply “And what about you?” “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ….was not ‘yes’ and ‘no’, but ‘yes’ has been in him.” (2 Cor 1:19)
He does not ask us to adopt a low profile or even prolong our confession of sin, to rue the denials shown by our actions, whereas so often, in private as well as in the liturgy, we say Amen. Time is pressing, and we have already lost too much of it. Let us go and work in the vineyard—the Lord will see our repentance.
As if the lesson were not already clear enough, Jesus adds words introduced by the special formula “Amen, I say to you.” “Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.”Maybe we are too accustomed to this text to perceive all of its force and its shocking character. We must have recourse to explanations to understand the term “Publican” which typifies sinners. But when it is associated with that of “Prostitute,” there is no longer any possible hesitation.
Jesus reminds us of the reason why tax collectors and prostitutes precede others, the self-righteous who boast of their title of “just” because they never stop saying “Yes, Lord.” John the Baptist inveighed against Pharisees and Sadducees— those “pure” ones who flocked to his baptism:” You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ’We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.” He was already proclaiming, “It is not good enough to say; you must do; it is not enough to accomplish religious acts; you must accomplish what they signify and imply.” All prophets have said the same thing, and Christian teaching does not stop repeating it. Because they listened to the Baptist, Tax collectors and prostitutes turned to Jesus and received his teaching with joy. But Matthew does not recall this simply to make sure his readers remember the attitude of these different persons when they heard John’s preaching and Jesus’ teaching. He does not suggest either that we should look around us in order to appreciate, with satisfaction or incredulity, the impact of the Gospel among today’s publicans and prostitutes. What he does is give a serious warning to those who, seeing sinners unexpectedly converted, do not themselves repent and believe in the Lord’s word. This word is proclaimed in the assembly gathered for the liturgy; and it is acclaimed,
”Praise you, Lord Jesus Christ!” After the vibrant “Yes” do we hasten to go, this very day, to work in the vineyard? As we are about to leave the Church, we are called to mission, the Lord’s call to work in the vineyard is repeated: “Go in Peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.” — “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord,” We answer: “Thanks be to God” —“Yes we will go.” And then, if we go quickly back home, to our everyday lives, might we be the same as the second son in the parable — promising to go but then doing nothing about it.
“Intention is a good action,” the proverb says. This is true when the genuine intention cannot be actualised because of an obstacle independent of one’s will. However, actions usually prove the seriousness of the intention. In any case, the intention to convert, even if frequently repeated, is not itself conversion. In religious matters, to limit oneself to the declaration of intentions becomes scandalous and closes entry into the kingdom of God. When he comes back in glory, The Son of Man will recognise as disciples those who will have acted, even unknowingly, according to the Gospel. The others will be cast far from him. If mention is eventually made of their multiple professions of faith, it will be as an aggravating circumstance, and, rightly so. They will see Tax collectors and prostitutes take the places they themselves should have occupied. The behaviour of the Supreme Judge is not strange. But it arouses surprise among those who do not go past declaration of intention and imagine that it is enough to say: “Lord, Lord!”
Who do they think God and his Christ are?
For God did not promise salvation—he accomplished it. He sent his own Son, who did not hesitate to empty himself of everything to the point of “death, even death on a cross” to obey the Father’s will. There is no other salvation than obedient faith, faith showing itself in actions. In order to understand this, there is no need for reasoning, it is enough to look at Christ, to truthfully celebrate the memorial of his passion and resurrection.
“Life in the kingdom does not consist of in an inscription. Entrance into the kingdom requires a living and continual will, a constant and present acceptance of God’s will for us. It is a ‘Yes’ constantly repeated. On the contrary, what is constant with us is our unfaithfulness. In particular, there is a way of escaping God’s will while believing one is doing it. This is a frequent defect among intellectuals; it consists in confusing the reality of a thing with the plan, the thought, the idea of this thing. It is possible to think very profoundly of something, to taste this thing and make much of it in one’s mind and yet live in a wholly different manner. A certain deformation of our intellectual attitude prevents us from measuring the gap. However, there is no definitive settling in the kingdom of God. If we do not seek to enter it at every instant, we leave it without even noticing we have done so.”
(Y. de Montcheuil.)
“Remember your mercy, Lord.”
