In today’s Gospel, Jesus is speaking to the chief priests and the elders of the people. His words are somewhat alarming and challenging, especially to anyone who claims religious faith. Jesus gives them a scenario and leaves them to find the appropriate answers. Both sons in today’s parable answer their father: one chooses not to tell the truth, saying he will go to work, and in fact does not; while the other son tells the truth, that he doesn’t want to go, but afterwords changes his mind, and goes and does the work that his father has asked of him. Jesus goes on to tell people that when John the Baptist came among them, as an example and model of “true righteousness”, they, the people of religion and holy talk, did not believe him. At the same time, however, the tax collectors and the prostitutes were making their way into the kingdom of God before them. It is not difficult to imagine the reaction to Jesus’ words among these people. It surely would not be difficult, too, for us to try to imagine our reaction to the words of Jesus if they were addressed to us. Do we consider ourselves to be respectable religious people, or do we know ourselves to be sinners, just as much as “the tax collectors and prostitutes” of whom Jesus speaks? Everything depends on how we see ourselves, and on how we see and judge others.
In our parishes Sunday after Sunday we can allow ourselves to be fooled into thinking that we are the good and holy people, while the many poor souls who never darken the door of a church are the castaways of God, outside God’s love. This is exactly what Jesus was dealing with in His own day. We can learn from this Gospel passage and put away any superciliousness that may accompany us on our way to church. There is no reason for us to become self-righteousness with regard to our religion and our God. St. Paul tells us that, even though Jesus was in the form of God, He emptied himself. We are to do the same, empty ourselves and allow God to fill us. In so doing, we will not be shocked that tax collectors and prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God before us; rather we will rejoice.