“Whoever doesn’t have one Master, has many.”
— St. Ambrose of Milan
In both the Old and New Testaments vineyard stories abound. For the last two weeks we have been reading the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 20, once again of the vineyard. Today we hear the familiar story of a father who directs his two sons to work in the vineyard. The first son, from the onset, says no he won’t go but then has a metanoia or change of heart and goes anyway. The other son gives an initial yes, but he doesn’t follow through with his commitment and his actions are hollow.
We must not just give lip service, but we must do the will of God in our lives. We must not just profess our faith by reciting the Creed and saying amen at Sunday Mass, but we must live our faith in our daily life. Procrastination is a sin against love where we put important matters and people off and fail to prioritize and put consideration into action.
At the beginning of any school year, any teacher or coach asks for 100% commitment for their subject or sport. They don’t want partial or occasional attendance which would hinder one from exceling. So too, we can not become part-time or weekend disciples, but daily faithful disciples who embrace God’s way of life. Remember the familiar adage, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Sometimes we make grandiose promises to others, but when it comes to fulfilling, we fail to be faithful even in small measures.
Recently after a daily Mass, a couple came to the sacristy for a blessing on their 50th wedding anniversary. I congratulated them for reaching this milestone and living their “I do” through the required strength, courage and perseverance it takes to live a sustained commitment. Sometimes our lives’ commitments can be derailed with such phrases as “I don’t” or “I won’t” or “I can’t” instead of fulfilling the “I will” commitment to faithfulness and love. In any commitment there are ups and downs, twists and turns, demands and challenges. Yet over the long haul, it is the steadiness of faithfulness that speaks the loudest. Most of us are familiar with the phrase, “Actions speak louder than words.”
There is room for everyone in the vineyard of the Lord. We are co-workers with one another: both the young and the old, the rich and poor, men and women. Whether we are in the prime of life or in our sunset years, we must be faithful.
In his letter to the Philippians (2:1-11), which we normally read on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, St. Paul speaks of Christ’s self-emptying (kenosis). We are called to kenosis in emptying ourselves of sin and selfishness. St. Paul reminds us that the way of Christ is the way of humility. St. Paul writes, “Do nothing out of selfishness...humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others.” This kenosis is necessary in order to embrace the mind, the message and the mission of Jesus. Paul warns us that selfishness and vain-glory keep us from the attitude of Christ that we must have. Paul states that our attitude must be modeled and imitated after Jesus’. We are to grow in mutual love for our community through our actions, thoughts, feelings, words and judgments.
A positive attitude is necessary for a positive outlook on life. In psychology our cognitive self (thinking), creates our affective self (feeling), which creates our behavioral self (living). Our “mind-set”, our “heart-set” and our “life-set” must be modeled on Christ. The mark of a true Christian is revealed in obedience to God’s ways and God’s will, not our ways or our will. One learns great things through obedience. As Christ was obedient to the Cross, His obedience was rewarded in the Father’s faithfulness by raising Him up. Christ’s best is manifest in His obedience, and that obedience translates into loving service.
Proverbs 21: 28 states, “An obedient person shall speak of victory. The one who obeys will triumph.” St. Theresa of Avila remarked, “O, virtue of obedience—it can do everything!” “Obedientia” (Latin) means “to listen within”. We must obey God’s commands, obey the Church, obey the dictates of our conscience and obey those in rightful authority over us.
I’d imagine we can all identify with either one of the two sons in today’s parable: the first son who refuses to go, but rethinks his decision, and then freely goes and is faithful to His father’s will. The second son who readily admits that he’ll fulfill the task but reneges on his commitment and thus frustrating His father.
The Gospel is calling forth from us not only an exterior obedience of fulfilling one’s duties, but an interior disposition of obedience which comes from the heart. I find this to be true especially in prayer, which demands more than rote recitation. We must rather align our hearts, minds, attitudes and actions to Christ’s in order to fulfill the responsibilities and obligations entrusted to our vocation. The menial, routine, ordinary everyday life is the testing ground for doing God’s will for God’s glory and God’s purposes. May we grow in Christ-like humility, obedience and total self-gift.
