Mt 21:23-27 Two Beginnings, Only One Good Ending
Lord, increase my faith for I long to see your face!
Let’s get right down to it. We have all been in this situation before. We are asked to do something for someone and we end up either doing it or doing nothing. Once again, the Lord, our God, is a demanding God. He does not settle for lip service but for actual service.
The “Yes” Man. Immediately we see the meaning of this parable. On the one hand we have the chief priests and the elders of the people. On the other hand, we have the tax collectors and the prostitutes. The authorities have received everything from the Father. They have authority to speak in God’s name. They have said “yes” to God but only with their lips. They are “cradle Jews”, and this is as far as their faith takes them. They are powerful. They have authority and they have too much to lose. The Baptist was a threat to their leadership, their privileges and their status among the people. He was a threat.
The “No” Man. This son immediately says, “No, forget it. I’m not changing. You can take your bible and shove it you know where!” And yet his anger, his bitterness is not pointed towards the Father, but towards himself. He thinks he has been suckered! Somehow, he feels he has been wronged by God. But, regardless of all of this, he gives the Lord another chance. He decides to do the Father’s Will, to take a leap of faith. This son is good in heart and has been slapped in the face before. And yet, he is still good in heart. These are the prostitutes and the tax collectors; abused from childhood, raised in a dysfunctional family, living among the dead, lepers in heart and soul. The last shall become first. The forgotten ones are getting their names written in the book of life. They are being talked about more than any others. They are entering the Kingdom of Heaven in droves, and before us! From humiliation to exultation! They are coming to John, seeking forgiveness, and receiving it!
What can we learn from these two? Those who put God first in their lives…Do you know what He will do to for them? The answer is obvious. He will put them first in His life!
He will raise you from the dead. He will heal your broken heart. He will remind you of who you are: “You are my beautiful gift to the world.”
The Lord invites us to carry our cross. Yes, pick up your cross and follow my example. Yes, I know it is advent. But advent begins with a little Lenten service – a penitential service. You should never carry the cross of your own sins! These sins must be forgiven in Confession. Carry this cross and it only leads to Hell!
The Lord invites us to carry a different cross. He carried ours. Now, we must carry others. Carry the cross that occurs from fidelity to His Will, misunderstanding of His love, rejection of love from another, etc… Carry the cross due to your love and fidelity towards God and man.
The moral of this story is beautiful: You can never go wrong by doing what is right. Every time you say “yes” to God and do it, you are in good company – either hugged by God or hanging next to him on your cross.
Thank God there is a reward for getting smashed, stomped on, ridiculed, humiliated, ripped apart and basically thrown in the trash for doing what is right and holy and saying yes to God.
ReplyDeleteCarrying someone else's cross sucks! But if that is what it takes. Hand it over. Ok, I don't have to ask. They are lining up for the hand off!
Just yesterday afternoon I was happy to lay one down that I had been carrying for about six months, then a few hous later, bam I got a new one, ironically it was the 'simon' which got me through those six months that became my new cross, just few hours later.
I guess I was blessed to be able to set the other one down before being handed the new one.
That hasn't always been the case. I guess He knows I'm wearing out. He knows just how much I can carry and He never exceeds it, but He gets REAL close to my limit.
No, this is not a pity party. It is reality and if it gets me closer to God, I'll keep doing it.
I didn't see the words, "with a smile on your face" in there, Father. Please don't add it. I'm not there yet.
A beautiful meditation Father!
ReplyDeleteYou remind us that when we say 'yes' to God, when we choose to BELIEVE in love again, and do the Father's will, than:
"He will raise you from the dead. He will heal your broken heart. He will remind you of who you are: “You are my beautiful gift to the world.”
God Bless!
and Thank you!
- Jessica
Thank you Father for this meditation. These words felt like divine intervention to me.
ReplyDeleteFather,
ReplyDeleteHow do you know, discern what truly is the God's Will? I mean, with so much noise and so many distractions out there. I would suspect the best way for clarity is spending more time in Adoration and more time praying daily. I have started doing this and have even started journaling. I am working on fine tuning my discernment skills. Thank you so much for your daily meditations and your spiritual direction. You are a gift to me and my family. You are in my daily prayers. Rose
Sorry...made a mistake. What has always helped me in understanding God's Will for me in my life as been:
ReplyDelete1. Fasting and prayer
2. Following the examples of Christ and the holy ones.
3. Thinking of the people it would affect.
4. Taking time to make the decision. Do not rush in making a decision. Take some time to reflect, meditate and allow the signs to become clearer each day.
I'm reading this meditation for second time today (and commenting for the second time! I geuss the Holy Spirit has a lot to tell me :)
ReplyDeleteHaving faith in God's justice towards us, and rembering that the 'last shall become first' is so helpful. God heals the leper and the broken hearted. He asks us to carry our cross, but not without showing us that it is possible! And to make LOVE our motivation and consolation...
I like the points you made about dicerning God's will : ) Especially #3 and #4. These next couple of weeks I will be trying to dicern what God is aking for the next few months my life. I have a very specific decision to make and the path is obscured. But I will keep your points in mind and I know the Lord will direct me when the time is right : )
Thanks Father!
-Jessica
I offer prayers and sacrifices daily for my sweet son who has been carrying the cross of homosexuality most of his young life. He has a good heart, but is currently the "No man" in this story. Please join me in praying for all homosexuals, like my son,that they will hear the Lord calling them back to His love and mercy; that in this culture of lies and distraction, they will have find the truth about themselves that they so desperately seek, that they are "a beautiful gift to the world" and that they will desire to be a "Yes man."
ReplyDelete