Scripture Reading Reflection
by Fr. Andrew Kelly
TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY ORDINAL TIME – SEPTEMBER 28, 2014
According to Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 21:28-32) a father sent two sons to work in the vineyard. One son said “yes” but never went. The other son said “no” but eventually went.
The Gospel story is about the believing community’s Sunday worship and the community’s “yes” or “no.” The community says: “Thanks be to God” when the Scriptures are proclaimed. The community is saying “yes,” we will go.
The community professes and proclaims: “I believe in GOD, the father almighty… I believe in Jesus Christ, GOD’s only Son, our Lord … I believe in the Holy Spirit…” Saying “I believe” means that “yes,” the community will go.
The community says “Amen” to Jesus’ body and blood. The “Amen” means “yes,” the community will go.
Sadly, as in the Gospel story, the community’s “yes” is often the community’s “no.” The community never gets around to feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, turning the other cheek, removing all violence and war, and the long list of action the Lord demands when a community says “Yes, I will go.”
Tragically for the world, and for the community, “Yes, I will go” is often lived as the community’s “No, I will not go.”
(Father Andrew Kelly is a retired priest of the Diocese of Davenport.)
