26th Sunday Year A

Readings http://www.pcentral-online.net/catholic/lectionary/26th-sunday-a.html


"'No, I will not'; but afterward he regretted it and went."


The gospel for the 26th Sunday of the Year, September 28, is about
the parable of the two sons. Jesus presented this parable as a
case for the leaders of His people: the chief priests and the elders.
In the parable, a father ordered his two sons to go and work in the
vineyard. One son said, "Yes", but did not really go. The other son
said, "No", but later on, went to work in the vineyard. The lesson
Jesus wanted to teach through this parable was: even if we have
failed to do what we promised to do, when we have repented, and then
went out to do what we were supposed to do, then we will be have
eventually obeyed the Lord's will.


A popular saying comes to mind when we reflect on this parable:
"action speaks louder than words". In our life as young children, or
even as teenagers, we often disobeyed our parents (or in the case of
the more obedient, only occasionally). Our disobedience is made
more serious when we do an action that we were not supposed to do.
We may have argued with our parents, or we may have even outrightly
shouted, "No", to one of their orders. But this disobedience in word
carried a lot more weight and serious matter when it flowed into an
action displeasing not only to our parents, but most especially to
God.


It is therefore a very important lesson for us to understand that as
adults, who have responsibilities in work and in family, before the
Lord, we are still His children - He being our Father. Let us then
examine the many times we went against our consciences. Did we repent
and do the proper thing? If we did not, then as long as there is
time to do so, then the Father will always be there to receive us
back to Him. And, let us also examine our present active life. Do
we pray to live a more virtuous life? To be more patient, forgiving,
prudent, moderate, just, persevering, generous, and chaste? Although
what we are in prayer before the Lord is also important, we are
called to do what will really please Him. And the Psalmist of the
Old Testament tells us what pleases the Lord: a humble and contrite
heart, that heeds His word, and with the gift of faith, puts it in
action, to serve Him through our family and work.