If you had asked me a number of years ago what I did on the farm, my answer would have likely been a very simple one, and yet one that was true through and through. If you had asked me what I did, my answer would have been very simple: whatever my dad needs me to do. If you know the structure of the Belken family, there are two reasons why this makes sense: first if I did what my dad needed done, I avoided being in trouble, which was a priority for me. So, there was an understanding of consequences if I did not follow my dad’s wishes and directives. The second though is one that came more and more over time- it began to develop when I was very young, and then as time went on, I started to really develop more and more of a sense of this- that what dad wanted was always the best. This played out time and time again. If dad said I needed to go and work on fencing, it was because the cattle were getting ready to break through. If he told me to go cut hay in a particular field, it was because that field was in prime shape. If something needed fixing, there was a need right then and there to go and tend to it. Dad somehow just knew what was best.
One of many accusations hurled at Christianity as a whole is that we are unnecessarily obedient and submissive to our God. This obedience that one can practice to the will of God, by the argument of many, is something that is not only overly burdensome, but even is heavily restrictive of human behavior. What’s worse is that it can often be difficult to discern the will of God! What are we to do, especially in the middle of a day and age that would rather concern itself with raw and unadulterated rebellion, rather than following the will of an all-good and all knowing God?
The first reading for this weekend is taken from the book of the prophet Ezekiel, and it strikes at the very heart of this matter. The Lord speaks through the mouth of the prophet: “You say, the Lord’s way is not fair!” The Lord responds- “Is it my way that is unfair, or is it rather your way?” The Lord is immediately throwing this back in the face of the Israelites as they grumble against Him. However, this wouldn’t seem to be much of an argument yet… however the Lord very much gets there. He starts to speak about the way of repentance specifically- and how someone may turn for or against the Lord. The first scenario that the Lord lays out is concerning the virtuous man who turns from his own way and commits iniquity. This would be the one who is living well and living by the laws and rules of the Lord, but then eventually finds themselves starting to slip. Perhaps they let their guard down, and they start to simply live as they wish. So, they start to commit iniquity and to sin. The Lord reports that it is because of the iniquity that this man must unfortunately die. That seems, on its face, to be a rather harsh God, who is rather ruthless and cruel.
Yet, it isn’t quite so. Rather, the Lord reports that there is a different way that He desires the sinner to go. Rather than die, He wishes to see the wicked man healed and living rightly in the ways of virtue and goodness. So, we are told that there is this other option- if that same man turns from his iniquity, and does what is right, he shall preserve his life. “Since he has turned from the sins he has committed he shall not die.” That is something that is actually rather uncommon to our human condition if you think about it. Our justice system is not a system designed on mercy, per se, but rather giving to one their due, and acting out of straight justice- at least that is the principal ensconced in the original design. However, with God, we are told that there must be another element- because if one turns away from iniquity, and from sin, they shall not die. Truly, there is something else going on here- and perhaps God’s own way is something more important that we might have thought.
The second reading comes from our continuing journey through the letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians. This passage is largely concerned about one central theme: taking up the example of Christ. This is a complex topic, since it is one that could be easily be written off as something rather simple, but as Saint Paul sees it, it is anything but simple. One has to live in participation in the Spirit, in compassion and mercy, in joy, and unity of heart and thinking only one thing- the will of God. One must not act out of selfishness, but rather must regard the well-being of others as more important- and therefore that is what gains their sole focus. Paul continues- have the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus. Even though he was in the form of God- he did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself- took the form of a slave, humbled himself, and became obedient. It is because of this that He is exalted and given the name above every other name. Thus, the reading concludes- Jesus has a position that is so powerful, not because of His own will, but because of His docility and obedience to the will of the Father.
Finally, we arrive at the Gospel, and Jesus is telling yet another parable. This parable is about a father who has two sons, and he asks both to go out into the field and work. The first says the right thing- he says “I will” but there is a fatal flaw. He simply leaves those words there, and does not act on them at all. This then leaves the second son, who initially spoke the wrong thing to his father- he tells him that he will not go and work in the vineyard. However, time goes by and he changes his mind and eventually goes into the vineyard. Jesus has a question for the crowd at the end- who did the right thing? The crowd comes up with the right answer- the one who did the will of the father.
Yet, Jesus presses on and issues a very harsh inditement of the scribes and the pharisees at this moment- which was a large contingency of the crowd. He recounts the core message that John the Baptist was always preaching- the way of righteousness. Yet, the people did not believe him- but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Thus, this parable has become about them- it is telling one simple fact- prostitutes and tax collectors are entering the Kingdom of God before the scribes and Pharisees. That is harsh. It seems cruel. It is quite hard to hear!
Why is Jesus saying such a thing? It seems that one group of people is supposed to be doing the right thing, and one is doing the wrong thing. What is going on here? Why is there a sudden shift where one group, which has been doing the wrong thing is all of a sudden being extolled for virtue?
It all boils down to one simple factor: docility to God’s will.
If you think about the fundamental difference between the two groups, the pharisees and scribes, and then the tax collectors and prostitutes, there is that one open element that was not there in the other- but it showed up in the opposite of the expected place. The Pharisees and the scribes were not open to God’s own will in their lives, and therefore they were not doing his will. However, the tax collectors and prostitutes, even with their worse reputation- were doing God’s will.
What does that mean for us, exactly? First, we should understand that we always have the chance to renew our dedication to following God’s will. The Gospel is telling in very clear and vivid language- even if one was not doing the will of God before- they have the opportunity to turn back and to follow His will again. It doesn’t matter where we have been- if we utilize the sacrament of reconciliation and return- we always have that chance of pursuing God anew.
Second, we need to be docile to the will of God- which will lead us to places of goodness, hope and healing. That call that comes out from the people and Ezekiel answers- God’s ways are tremendously fair, but at times we can convince ourselves that we know better than God, and therefore we do not follow Him without resentment or without bitterness. However, if we truly see what God is doing, then we know that He is abundantly fair with us- and wants for our good and works for it. That matters if there are good things going on, or even bad things. All things can work out to good for those who love God. St. Josemaria Escriva often spoke about stages of our relationship to the will of God, and it followed a progression: to resign to the will of God, to conform to the will of God, to want the will of God, and then to love the will of God. Depending on where we are in our journey, we may perhaps find ourselves in one of the three- but even if we are not, we should be learning to love the will of God.
Finally, we should see the ways that we can practically change to more closely follow the will of God. If we look back at the second reading from Saint Paul, we are reminded that the will of God is imitation of His Son. What is that one way that you and I are called to imitate God’s son a little more closely? If we do that, I daresay we will find ourselves not only doing the will of God, but enjoying it as well.
My dad often had the right idea- it wasn’t just that I was afraid of consequences or anything like that, but it was that I knew that he knew what was truly good, and therefore I went and did his work. May each of us be so bold in following the will of our God, no matter where it leads us, or what work it tells us must be done.
