Daily Readings - Sun Oct 01 2023
Ezekiel
25And you have said, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Therefore, listen, O house of Israel. How could it be that my way is not fair? And is it not instead your ways that are perverse26For when the just man turns himself away from his justice, and commits iniquity, he shall die by this; by the injustice that he has worked, he shall die27And when the impious man turns himself away from his impiety, which he has done, and accomplishes judgment and justice, he shall cause his own soul to live28For by considering and turning himself away from all his iniquities, which he has worked, he shall certainly live, and he shall not die
Philippians
1Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, any solace of charity, any fellowship of the Spirit, any feelings of commiseration2complete my joy by having the same understanding, holding to the same charity, being of one mind, with the same sentiment3Let nothing be done by contention, nor in vain glory. Instead, in humility, let each of you esteem others to be better than himself4Let each of you not consider anything to be your own, but rather to belong to others5For this understanding in you was also in Christ Jesus
Matthew
28But how does it seem to you? A certain man had two sons. And approaching the first, he said: ‘Son, go out today to work in my vineyard.29And responding, he said, ‘I am not willing.’ But afterwards, being moved by repentance, he went30And approaching the other, he spoke similarly. And answering, he said, ‘I am going, lord.’ And he did not go31Which of the two did the will of the father?" They said to him, "The first." Jesus said to them: "Amen I say to you, that tax collectors and prostitutes shall precede you, into the kingdom of God32For John came to you in the way of justice, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. Yet even after seeing this, you did not repent, so as to believe him
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the relationship between our actions, our faith, and our understanding of God's justice. In Ezekiel, we hear the prophet addressing the Israelites who question God's fairness. Ezekiel makes it clear that God's ways are just, and it is our own actions that determine our fate. He emphasizes that turning away from sin and towards justice leads to life, while stubbornly clinging to wickedness leads to death. This reading underscores the importance of personal responsibility and the opportunity for repentance.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about two sons, one who refuses to work in the vineyard but later repents and goes, and another who agrees to go but does not follow through. Jesus asks which of the two did the will of the father, and the answer is clear: it is the one who, despite initial reluctance, ultimately obeyed. This parable challenges us to examine our own response to God's call. It is not the promises we make but the actions we take that truly matter. Jesus then applies this lesson to the tax collectors and prostitutes who, despite their sinful lives, repented and believed in John the Baptist, while the religious leaders, who should have known better, refused to repent.
The second reading from Philippians bridges these two messages by emphasizing the importance of humility and selflessness. Paul encourages the community to live with one mind and one heart, avoiding contention and vain glory. He calls us to esteem others better than ourselves and to look out for their interests. This is the same mindset that Jesus had, as he humbled himself and became obedient even to death on the cross. Together, these readings remind us that our faith must be lived out in action, marked by humility, repentance, and a commitment to doing God's will. May we strive to be like the first son, who despite his initial reluctance, ultimately chose to obey, and may we embrace the humility and selflessness that Jesus modeled for us.