26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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This week our theme from last week continues: the way of the Lord is not the way of the world. In the first reading we see the prophet Ezekiel pick up this theme in regard to those who repent of their sins. Ezekiel is writing before the Babylonian exile in an attempt to restore the piety of Israel, hoping that such a restoration will avert the impending doom. The prophet stresses two ideas: first, the importance of perseverance. It is not enough to begin a life of holiness; you must persevere in that state of holiness throughout your life. Second, a person who has not begun in virtue but converts later in life and perseveres in that virtue until death should receive a great reward. Those two elements constitute fairness in the eyes of God.

The responsorial psalm repeats those themes from the first reading. We pray for knowledge of God’s ways that we might follow the way of God all the days of our life. At the same time, we implore the mercy of God so that we might return to God if we have strayed from the path. Remembering that God is good and merciful will enable us to maintain the right path.

St. Paul then shows us in what that right path consists: humility. We should not think ourselves greater than others because of all the good things God has given us. Instead, we should realize the great responsibility that comes with such a high calling. He then reminds us of the example of Christ, who humbled himself to become a human and to die for our sakes – all in obedience to God’s will. Because of Jesus’ obedience, God exalts him, and God will do the same for us if we follow the example of Christ.

Finally, Jesus highlights the point of obedience to God’s will in the parable of two sons. All of us can see ourselves in this story. It is often the case that we are like the first son. We hear God’s word and initially we are resistant to it, but after thinking about it for a while, we come to our senses and follow God’s will. Unfortunately, we are also like the second son in many times in our life. We hear a great homily, or are excited by a profound passage from Scripture at first reading, but then we fail to carry out God’s will in our lives. What is worse, we are often like the Pharisees who have forgotten the first reading from Ezekiel. We see people turn from a bad life and yet that does not move us to be more fervent in our practice of the faith.

Let us always have the humility of Paul so that we can see God’s will in our lives and carry it out faithfully.a