Today's Gospel: Remember God's Tenderness

The Gospel reading reminds us of the importance of action and conversion, going beyond mere words.

## Obedience as a Path

Some words sound good, but reality eventually proves them wrong. In today's Gospel, Jesus presents a direct parable about this. A father asks his two sons to work in the vineyard. The first, with a firm "I will not," eventually repents and goes. The second, with an enthusiastic "I am going, sir," stays home. The question is clear: who fulfilled the father's will? The answer, for those willing to see, is obvious: the first son. This tells us that, in the end, what matters is action, real commitment, not just declarations of intent. Saying you will do something is not enough; you must do it.

This connects directly with the first reading from the prophet **Ezekiel**. During a time of crisis for the people of Israel, after the exile to **Babylon** around **587 BC**, the concept of personal responsibility began to emerge. Until then, blame was often placed on past generations or the collective. But Ezekiel insists: each person is accountable for their actions. If the righteous person turns from righteousness and commits iniquity, they will die for it. If the wicked person, who had acted wickedly, turns from their wickedness and does what is just and right, they will save their life. The key lies in "recapitation," that moment of realization and change of course. The Lord shows the way to sinners, but it is the humble who learn to walk uprightly.

## Self-Emptying as a Path to Greatness

The second reading, from **St. Paul's** letter to the Philippians, offers another fascinating perspective on action and attitude. Paul encourages Christians to be united, not to act out of rivalry or conceit, but to consider others better than themselves. To illustrate this, he presents the ultimate example: **Christ Jesus**. Though he was in the form of God, he did not cling to his equality with God. Instead, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, becoming human. He humbled himself to the point of death, even death on a cross.

And here comes the twist: because of this radical self-abasement, God exalted him above all and gave him the Name that is above every name. Every knee will bow before him, and every tongue will confess that **Jesus Christ is Lord**. It's a tremendous paradox: the greatest humiliation leads to the greatest exaltation. It is not ostentation or power that elevates, but service, self-giving, voluntary self-emptying. He who makes himself small is exalted. He who serves is made Lord. This is what the early Christians proclaimed, even though it seemed scandalous or foolish to the Hellenistic or Jewish mindset that the Messiah would be crucified.

## Conversion, An Open Path

Matthew's Gospel, with the parable of the two sons, warns us against hypocrisy. The chief priests and elders, who considered themselves guardians of the law, are the ones who, in this story, most resemble the son who says yes but does nothing. Jesus tells them, with a frankness that must have stung, that tax collectors and prostitutes, those on the margins of society and official religion, are entering the kingdom of God ahead of them. Why? Because **John the Baptist** showed them the way of righteousness, and they, who thought themselves righteous, did not believe him. The others, the sinners, believed him and repented.

The fundamental issue is conversion, "returning." God judges not so much by the label one wears, but by the capacity to rectify, to change one's attitude, to open oneself to His grace. Those who believe themselves perfect are often the most closed. Those who acknowledge their fragility are the ones most easily touched by divine mercy. The Gospel, in this sense, is a constant call to examine our actions, not to remain solely in words or appearances. What counts with God is real commitment, work done with integrity, the humility to recognize that we sometimes err and need to return to the path.

### Responding to the Call

Life, viewed from this perspective, becomes a continuous response to a call. Whether it's the call to work in the vineyard, to serve others, or to trinc the path of righteousness. The difference between those who respond and those who don't lies not so much in the ease or difficulty of the initial response, but in perseverance and final attitude. The first son, with his initial refusal, shows a more honest humanity, and his subsequent repentance and action validate him. The second son, with his false obedience, reveals a lack of commitment that distances him from his father's will.

In **Psalm 24**, we are invited to ask the Lord to teach us his ways, to instruct us in his paths. God's tenderness and mercy are recalled, as He does not forget the sins of youth but calls us to remember His goodness. The Lord is good and upright, and He guides sinners, but above all, He guides the humble. It's an invitation to humility in order to learn, to be guided. Waiting for God is an active wait, a wait that translates into the desire to walk uprightly.

### The Importance of Inner Attitude

The parable of the two sons is not just a story about who obeys and who doesn't. It's a profound reflection on inner attitude. The son who says "I am going, sir" and does not go not only deceives his father but also deceives himself. He remains on the surface, in form, without reaching the substance. The tax collectors and prostitutes, despite their social standing, demonstrate a greater openness to truth, to the call of God embodied in **John the Baptist**. Their apparent social "wickedness" has paradoxically made them more receptive to grace.

This calls us to constant self-criticism. Are we among those who say "yes" to God, to justice, to service, but then stay home? Or are we among those who, perhaps with an initial "no," eventually find the way and do what is asked? The key lies in conversion, in that capacity to rectify, to "recapitate," as Ezekiel says. It is a lifelong process, in which God's mercy is always present, waiting for us to return to Him.

* **Ezekiel** prophesied after the exile to **Babylon** in **587 BC**.
* **St. Paul** wrote the letter to the **Philippians**.
* **Jesus Christ** is the focus of the second reading's message.
* **John the Baptist** is a key figure in the Gospel of **Matthew**.
* **Psalm 24** asks to be instructed in God's ways.