Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Phil 2:1-11
Mt 21:28-32
We live in a culture that places immense value on first impressions, polished words, and impressive credentials. We often judge people by what they say they will do rather than what they actually deliver. Yet, this Sunday’s readings look past our surface promises and polite pious words, directing our attention to a sobering, practical truth: when it comes to our relationship with God, it is not our initial words or past reputation that matter most, but our actual, ongoing choices to do His will.
Jesus brings this home in the Gospel through the simple parable of a father who asks his two sons to work in the vineyard. The first son bluntly refuses, but later reconsiders, regrets his attitude, and goes to work. The second son answers with smooth, respectful words - "Yes, sir" - but never actually steps foot in the vineyard. When Jesus asks, which son did the father's will, the answer is obvious. Through this story, Jesus gently confronts the religious leaders of His day, whose spiritual pride made them give lip service to God while refusing the call to true heart repentance. Meanwhile, the outcast sinners, who initially said "no" to God through their broken lives, heard the call of grace, repented, and entered the Kingdom. Jesus shows us that God prefers a messy "no" that turns into an active, humble "yes" over a polished "yes" that results in inaction.
This freedom to change our direction is grounded in God's profound justice and mercy, as revealed in the First Reading. Through the prophet Ezekiel, God dismantles the fatalistic idea that people are bound by their pasts or trapped by the sins of their ancestors. Ezekiel assures us that if a righteous person turns away from good, their past righteousness will not save them; but equally, if a wicked person turns away from sin and chooses what is right, they will surely live. God doesn’t hold a grudge against our past if we are willing to hand it over to Him in the present. As the Responsorial Psalm echoes, we serve a God Who is constantly ready to guide the humble, remember His compassion, and teach sinners the way.
Making that ultimate choice for God requires a deep spirit of humility, which St. Paul paints so vividly in the Second Reading. Writing to the Philippians, Paul points to Christ Himself as the ultimate blueprint for obedience. Jesus didn’t cling to His divine status, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant and becoming obedient even to death on a cross. It was through this radical, humble surrender to the Father's will that Christ was exalted above every name. When we align our wills with God’s, we are taking on the very mind of Christ.
When we gather at the altar this Sunday, we are offered a fresh start. None of us have lived a perfect "yes" to God. We have all had moments where we said "no" through our sins, our hesitation, or our selfishness. But the Good News is that it is never too late to turn around. God is far more interested in our direction than our past, and His mercy is always available to help us
change our mind. As we step out into the week ahead, may we have the humility to turn our quiet "nos" into active, loving "yeses," trusting that every small act of repentance draws us closer to the heart of God.