“Living a spiritual life requires a change of heart, a conversion. Such a conversion may be marked by a sudden inner change, or it can take place through a long, quiet process of transformation. But it always involves an inner experience of oneness”. – Henri Nouwen
Homily For The 26th Sunday In The Ordinary Time, Year A, October 1, 2023.
Sunday Readings
My Dearest Friends In Christ,
We have gathered together as one family in Christ to listen to our Lord and Master. May His words, which we heard today, lead to sincere repentance and salvation through Christ our Lord.
The readings of today, call us to make the sincere and convinced decision to amend our sinful lives. To please God our Father is to change our minds to do what He wishes.
The first reading from the prophet Ezekiel addresses the concern of those who claim that God’s ways are not fair. People often blame God for their mistakes agonizing that God has been unfair to them. God’s ways are never unfair to anyone He created. He treats us like His children, even when He reprimands or disciplines us through the suffering we undergo in life. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and hope.“(Jeremiah 29:11) So know that God thinks well of you.
The truth of the matter is that it is our ways or choices in life that bring us sorrow and pain. Let no one blame God who decides to ignore His ways to follow selfish ways. St. Paul in the second reading admonishes us, for he knows that it is the selfishness in us, our seeking for personal interests, and caring less about others that have led many into sin and regrets. We lack the humility that Christ exemplified by accepting a less dignifying and servant lifestyle. No one who truly humbles himself in service to God and others will ever have any reason to be unhappy. “The Lord is willing to do great things, but on the condition that we are truly humble.”– Padre Pio
The story of the two sons in the gospel reminds me how much it hurts when someone says yes to do something for you and eventually disappoints you. Many would say, ” You should have told me right away, that you wouldn’t be able to help, so I could have made an alternative plan rather than to disappoint me in the end.” Humanly speaking, it is better to tell people directly that you won’t be able to help when they ask, rather than allow them to think you will be helping them.
The point of this parable however is clear. What matters is living for God, not saying the right words. The religious leaders were good at talking the righteous talk, but their stubbornly unrepentant hearts showed that repentant sinners would enter the kingdom before them. The son who refused to go to work in his father’s vineyard but later changed his mind represents all the sinners who when they first heard God’s invitation to repentance refused to accept it but later had a change of heart and repented. The prostitutes and tax collectors belong to this group. The second son represents all Christians who talk of repenting, but they do not repent. They speak of believing, but they never believe. They think of submitting to God, but they have not submitted themselves to Him yet. The Pharisees and the Scribes belong to this group. They claim to have accepted God’s invitation but never repented nor ever had a change of heart.
The first son did the will of his father despite his earlier rejection. God our Father wants us to have a change of heart and to embrace His invitation to repentance wholeheartedly. In response to the answer given by the Pharisees, Jesus says, “Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.” This tells us that the invitation to work in the Father’s vineyard is an invitation to work for our salvation through acceptance of God’s word, commitment to do good, and repentance from sin.
It will not be a surprise that on the last day, evildoers will be in heaven because they had a change of heart and repented. Bishop Sheen tells us that we will have three surprises in heaven. The first is that we will be surprised to see that many people we expected to be in Heaven are not there. The second surprise is that we will see that the people we never expected to be in Heaven are there. The third surprise is that we will be surprised to see that we are in Heaven. If we want to be there in Heaven on the last day, we must begin today to CHANGE our minds about the things we planned to do, or are already doing. Pause for a moment. Search your heart. Is there anything you are planning to do today, tomorrow, or in the future that is contrary to God’s will? If there is, change your mind now, lest you regret doing such actions. As humans, we have the capacity to make choices or decisions and also the freedom to change our hearts if we think such actions wouldn’t be beneficial to the welfare of others and are in opposition to the Will of God. Our sins become mortal when we are aware of this and insist on going on with our plans. Today might be another chance for you to change your mind and accept God’s invitation to eternal life. This might even be the reason you are still alive today. “One new perception, one fresh thought, one act of surrender, one change of heart, one leap of faith, can change your life forever.”–Robert Hilden
Behind the two sons, in a mysterious way, is the third son. The first son says “no” but does the father’s will. The second son says “yes” but does not do what he was asked. The third son says “yes” and does what He was asked. This third son is the begotten son of God, Jesus Christ, who has gathered us all here. Jesus, on entering the world, said, “Lo, I have come to do Thy will, O God.” (Heb 10:7). He not only said “yes”, but He also acted on that “yes”, and He suffered it, even to death on the Cross. ( Pope Benedict XVI Freiburg Sept 25, 2011)
In humility and obedience, Jesus embraced the Father’s Will by dying on the cross for us to be saved. In this Mass let us open up our hearts to God’s word, change our hearts, and do the will of God our Father. Heaven is open to everyone. Let the greatest surprise be that on the last day, you and I will see each other in Heaven.
The voice of prayer is never silent. Keep praying. Don’t give up.
I keep you and your family always in my prayers. ©Clem C. Aladi (2024)
