Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, September 27, 2020. (EPISODE: 253)

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, September 27, 2020
(EPISODE:253)

Readings for Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A

FIRST READING: Ezekiel 18:25-28
Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9. "Remember your mercies, O Lord."
SECOND READING: Philippians 2:1-11 or 2:1-5
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (John 10:27). Alleluia, alleluia! My sheep listen to my voice, says the Lord. I know them, and they follow me.
GOSPEL: Matthew 21:28-32
 
Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. stock illustration ID: 461101012 Parable of the Two Sons: obedient and disobedient.  By askib
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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – including readings, prayers and reflections for the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, September 27, 2020, by clicking this link here:   https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ordinary-26a-episode-253/s-XpmJ9T4JU11  (EPISODE: 253)
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Prologue: (Fr Paul). [Gospel values included in this weekend's readings: Doing the will of the Father is much more important merely giving God lip service. Also, God is not unjust, even if God's ways are unlike ours.]
 
I think that today's gospel, although very short, is really a key teaching in Christ's gospel.  It goes to the heart of what Our Lord was doing and saying.
 
Jesus taught on several occasions about the danger of a mere outward observance of religion.
 
Much more important, (and ultimately the only thing that really matters), is that one is faithful to the truth of God's message by DOING God's will, irrespective of whether one SEEMS to be living up to the message or not. 
 
Appearances can (so often) be quite deceiving.
 
 This parable of the two sons – on disobedient and the other obedient, is essential.
 
St Paul picks up on this same theme in his famous and popular first letter to the Corinthians 12:31 "… If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels but do not have love, I am merely a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the power of prophecy, and understand all mysteries of the universe, and If I had all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body, but do not have love, I gain nothing."
 
This teaching is so central to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux who wrote that she took no comfort from praise, and likewise, experienced little distress from criticism.   She knew, as in the gospel, that a person could be praised for an action that appears charitable, whilst all the time, inwardly, (unknown to others), the person's motive is actually not consistent with God's ways…   And, likewise, a person might be motivated by utter kindness, but their actions are mistaken for selfishness and malice. The message appears clear; we are to do what is right and loving, in imitation of Our Lord's generous kindness, irrespective of how other's might judge it.  We are to act lovingly and justly and humbly even in situations where appearances are deceptive.  We are invited to gently brushing aside both criticisms and compliments, in favour of standing judged by God alone, as to how well and truly we loved. Only God can judge this, no matter how well we pride ourselves in being good judges of character.  Only God can truly see into the heart and mind of his creations and see what truly exists within us. We strive to avoid jumping to conclusions about people's motives.  The motives of others, along with their inner heart, are ultimately only fully known to God alone. We know this intuitively but we often find it hard to put into practise.
 
Let us ask the Lord to help purify our inner life… and make our inner attitudes match our outward words and actions; so that everything we do, in thought, word and action, be motivated by a true love of God. And Love of neighbours as ourselves….   (Fr. Paul Kelly)
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The following is a homily by Fr Peter Dillon:

In 1995 I was privileged to be able to host the then Australian Governor-General, Sir William Deane, for an entire day, visiting many of the welfare centres of Brisbane. Apparently every few months he would travel to various parts of the country in a non-official capacity and meet some of the ordinary people of Australia. At the St Vincent De Paul centre in South Brisbane, he introduced himself to some of life's real characters as "Bill" and he sat and talked with them for ages. Very few knew who they were talking with. At the end of the day, I thanked him for his time to which he replied, "They were the ones who gave up their time to talk with me. They shared with me a valuable gift". He said he couldn't do his job if he didn't know people from all circumstances of life. I remember thinking at the time, "how Christ-like", and thinking now "How Francis-like".

Jesus made it quite clear to his followers that he wasn't just sent to the sensible and comfortable, but rather to the margins of society, where he spent most of his time. He didn't care about who they were, so much as what they needed. He knew people were watching and judging him, but the right people were learning from him. Jesus was highlighting the difference between being seen to be good and doing good things for the right reasons.

The parable of the two sons is as a parable of saying and doing (the difference between sayers and doers is a favourite one in Matthew) Practise what you preach! One son is respectful and polite but does not go. He is a friendly 'She'll be right' do-nothing guy. The other is disrespectful, disobedient but changes his mind and goes. Harassed as all busy people are. If you want something done, give the job to a busy person.

The parable reminds us that the gospel must be preached to sinners and outcasts. A self-confident religious establishment is not the goal of evangelism. This congregation does not want simply to clone itself. The gospel is meant to confront, challenge, change - it demands acceptance or rejection. The public sinners knew about rejection. They wanted acceptance and were prepared to embrace God's unexpected gift of unconditional love and forgiveness.

In his reply to his own question Jesus identifies the two sons. The son who refused but repented stand for the tax collectors and prostitutes who complied with Gods' wishes that they turn away from sin, while the other son stands for the priests and scribes who maintain the outward appearance of piety but without any real devotion to the will of God.

The son whose word was "no" but whose action became "yes" is held out as the one who did he fathers will. The story doesn't tell us why he changed his mind or what the change cost him, only that his generosity of spirit had the last word. In time he caught up with the best of what was in him. He was late in doing his father will, but not too late.

Perhaps the greatest model of saying & doing is Mary. The young uneducated village woman of Nazareth. She is not easily led. Her initial response to the angel is 'How can this be?' Yet she accepts the reassurance of the angel that she would be the Theotokos, the Mother of the Lord. 'I am the servant of the Lord, let it be done to me as you say.'


God never forces himself on us, never compels us to say yes. God waits for our free-response: 'I am the servant of the Lord' (a free commitment)
What was the grumbling son dealing with when something was asked of him and he finally was moved to action. Guilt?  Fear of reprisal? Duty? Love for his Father remembering all that had been done for him? He allows this difficult process of growth to begin. The other son excludes this journey by a too easy, almost rehearsed response

Let it be done to me: this response always involves a change. Leave where you are and what you are doing and go into the vineyard. And yes, go with your unresolved questions and doubts, your anger even at God, allow the work of Salvation to make things clear.
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References:
HOMILY:  FR PETER DILLON

Prologue: Fr Paul W. Kelly

The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. (1898)].

Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. stock illustration ID: 461101012 Parable of the Two Sons: obedient and disobedient.  By askib


Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A  (Sunday, September 27, 2020)  (EPISODE: 253 )

The Lord be with you.
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{{Goodness and faithfulness to you all}}

My brothers and sisters, we have gathered to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, - so let us pause and reflect upon our sins, so as to rejoice in Gods loving mercy.
You were sent to heal the contrite of heart. Lord, have mercy.// You came to call sinners:Christ, have mercy. //You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us:Lord, have mercy.//
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
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PREFACE: Sundays Ordinary VIII
Eucharistic Prayer III
Communion side.  pwk:  LH
(theme variation: 3)
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{Many thanks for participating in this time of praise and reflection upon our loving God.}

Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.

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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
NB - It is often a week or so Ahead:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection"  - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants  — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989,  and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009,  The Grail - Collins publishers. 

Prayers of the Faithful -   " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'.   E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).

Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -  By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria,  Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.  

- "Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - in memory of  William John Kelly -     Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

"Quiet Time."  Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

- "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly.  Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer.  Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019. 
[ Production -  KER -  2020] 

May God bless and keep you. 
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