Twenty sixth Sunday

Twenty Sixth Sunday Ordinary
September 25, 2005

You say, "The LORD's way is not fair!". Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair? (Ezekiel 18: 25-28) "... though he was in the form of God, (Christ) did not regard equality with God something to be grasped..." (Phil 2:1-11). "Which of the two did his father's will?" (Matthew 21:28-32)

Jesus scolds the religious leadership on their refusal to hear the truth about the kingdom of God. He uses a metaphor of two sons, one who says yes but means no (religious people), and the other who says no but later does what is right (the rejected sinner). Besides being another lesson in how things are in the kingdom of God -- the reverse of earthly kingdoms -- this can also be applied to our personal spirituality. The first child is "passive aggressive", disguising angry rejection with expressions of compliance, making everyone else frustrated and powerless, looking good at the expense of the truth. Conversion is much more difficult when we hide ourselves from our own anger. As the prophet Ezekiel implies, when we imitate the first child we are blaming God and others in place of looking inward. The second child is the openly angry and rebellious one, who is at least honest enough to match behavior and words. Not that this child is any better than the first, but perhaps more honest about what is happening. What can be seen can be more soon remedied.

St. Paul provides a lesson in humility found in Christ's emptying himself of all pretensions to divinity The Archbishop of Canterbury said recently that, "the worst thing people of faith can do is to live as if we could never be surprised by God." Profoundly religious people are often at high risk of eliminating this surprise factor from faith. It is difficult to be open to God's surprises when we are not willing to face our own emptiness and uncertainty. If it worked for Jesus, why should it not for us? The humility of being realistic about our own strengths and weaknesses is the beginning of spiritual rebirth.

St. Paul in this same passage also advises that we should "regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others." It seems that personal spirituality includes concern for ourselves as well as others. This is not a false martyrdom, where everyone and everything is more important than me. Mature spirituality involves taking care of myself as well as of others. If I am important enough that God decided to give
me life, I'm important enough to take care of it along with everyone else.

We are all unworthy children of the Most High. We all have infinite worth.