We are all familiar with the saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” Jesus teaches this very lesson in our Gospel today. The religious leaders of the Jewish community in his day spoke many pious words and gave the impression of great holiness. They were considered the greatest servants of God in their communities. Once Jesus began to challenge them, however, they were revealed as righteous in their speech but not in their treatment of others.
Jesus demonstrates this contradiction in his parable of the two sons. The son who speaks words of obedience is like the religious leaders. He says the right thing but his words are lies. The other son, who at first refused to obey, later recognizes his error and decides to honor his father’s request. This son represents the sinners and disciples who had not been following the Lord in their words or actions, but later repented to honor God and do his will. It is not merely our words or intentions that Jesus desires, but disciples who are willing to change their lives to love and serve God and their neighbors.
As Catholics, we believe we are saved by faith, but only by faith that is demonstrated by our works. Of course, this is not done to earn our salvation by our good works – it has already been won for us – but faith consisting only of words is not saving faith at all. In gratitude to God for his great work to save us through his son, Jesus, we are called to continue our Lord’s work of loving God and our neighbor. And, Jesus shows us the true way to doing God’s will throughout his life. As we hear in today’s second reading, he “emptied himself…coming in human appearance, humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Rather than blaming us for our sinfulness, he has taken on our sins and offered himself to the Father for their remission.
In ancient Israel, it was believed that when a person was afflicted with a disease or suffered some personal tragedy, it was the result of a sin that he or she had committed. And, if he or she had not committed a sin, it was the result of the sins of their parents or grandparents. Remember the time when Jesus and his disciples encountered a blind man and the disciples asked Jesus whether he was so afflicted for his own sins or the sins of his parents? They recalled what God had told Moses and the people Israel when he gave them the Ten Commandments: “I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their fathers’ sins on the children of those who hate me, down to the third or fourth generation.” It was a way for them to understand evil, especially when there didn’t seem to be any other explanation. And, it was sometimes a way for them to excuse themselves – they could blame their forefathers for their misfortune.
It is against this background that we hear Ezekiel in today’s first reading reveal something new about God. As you may remember, Ezekiel prophesied to the people Israel while they were exiled in Babylon. And, they blamed their parents for their misery in their exile. As we hear in today’s first reading, however, Ezekiel reveals that a person lives or dies as a consequence of his own actions, not the actions of his ancestors. In saying this, Ezekiel is calling the people to admit their own sins, take responsibility for their lives and change their ways.
Jesus calls the people of his own time to the same task. Today’s Gospel passage recounts an encounter that Jesus had with the chief priests and scribes shortly after he had upset the money changers’ tables in the temple. The reason he had done this was because they were overcharging the pilgrims who came to offer sacrifice at the temple. The Jewish leaders in Jesus’ time were receiving a cut from these exorbitant charges brought against the pilgrims.
In the passage that we hear in today’s Gospel, Jesus clearly intends the chief priests and elders to see themselves as the second son, who tells his father that he will go work in his vineyard but doesn’t. They are entrusted with caring for their people but they’re caring only for themselves. It’s the people known to be sinners – the prostitutes and tax collectors who have admitted their sins and changed their ways – who are like the first son who changes his mind and goes to work in the vineyard.
In both readings – the one from Ezekiel and today’s Gospel – we are confronted with an important truth about God and us. Words are not enough; deeds show our true intent. You will recall that in another parable, Jesus compares those who hear the word of God but do not live it to someone who builds his house on sand. We all know the end of that parable: the house is washed away and all is lost.
If we are honest with ourselves, we admit that, throughout our lives, we need to become more and more like Jesus who, as we hear in today’s second reading, humbled himself to do the will of his heavenly Father. Rather than seeking our will and fulfilling our plan, we are called to seek the Father’s will and fulfill his plan – that is, to work in his vineyard building up his kingdom. And, we come to learn that plan for us by carefully listening to God speak to us. We cannot do that if we are too busy listening only to ourselves and the world around us.
That’s why it’s so important for us to pray every day and to gather around his table to listen to his saving words. And, we need to be nourished by our Lord’s life-giving Body and Blood to have the strength to do his work.
How blessed we are to know – through the eternal word of Sacred Scripture – that God does not punish us for our sins – nor the sins of our forefathers. But, God does call us to be his faithful children, to listen to his commands and work in his vineyard here on earth as we build up his kingdom. When we do that God, our heavenly Father, who is always merciful, will not remember the sins of our past but lead us to a fuller life here on earth – and the fullness of life with him forever in his heavenly kingdom!