Cycle A - Year II:  

28 September 2014: 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical color: Green)

Matthew 21:28-32

Doing God's will!

In childhood days, storytelling is one of the most effective ways to communicate to a child. Because a child easily relates to life situations, and learns valuable lessons from them. In fact, we don't outgrow our storytelling days; they are simply known differently as life experiences in later life.

Our Lord Jesus was an amazing teacher and a fantastic storyteller. We will hear in today's Gospel another example of His ability to craft a story using common life experiences and simple images in order to teach the profound truths of our Christian faith.

As narrated by Jesus, the story goes this way: A father who owns a vineyard has two sons. He asks them both to go and help out in the vineyard. One son says "Yes", but never goes there. The other says "No", but changes his mind and goes to help in the vineyard. Now Jesus asks: which son did the father's will? The answer, of course, is obvious.

Jesus makes His point clear in the above parable of the two sons. Good intentions are not enough. And promises are nothing unless they are performed.

In other words, God wants to change our hearts so that we will show both by our words and by our actions that we respect and follow His will and do it without reservations. And when we are faithful to His will, God offers each one of us the greatest treasure reserved for us, which is unending peace, joy, happiness,  and eternal life with Him in His kingdom. But we can lose that treasure if we refuse the grace God is offering us to follow in His way of truth and righteousness.

Jesus, therefore, encourages us to think about the consequences of our choices in life, especially the choices and decisions that will count not just for here and now but for eternity as well. Because the choices we make now will affect and shape our future both on earth as well as our final destiny in the life after.

This Sunday is also the Feast of the first Filipino saint, Lorenzo Ruiz. And because he is the Patron of Migrants in the Philippines, the Church also celebrates this Sunday the 19th National Seafarer's Day.

Let us pray for seafarers and their families so that they find inspiration in the life of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz as they profess and live their Christian faith.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!