Sunday Reflections

I’ve always thought that September, rather than January, is the ideal month for New Year’s Resolutions. The crisp coolness of the morning summons new energy for all of creation, it seems. Apples ripen, leaves change colour and birds migrate south. For teachers, students and those serving in parish ministry. it also signals the start of a new year. It’s the perfect time for a fresh start.

Today’s readings echo this theme of fresh starts, and elevate it with tales of great reversals and the importance of attitude.

In the Gospel parable we meet two sons who illustrate change. One son refuses to obey his father at first, then changes his mind and does his father’s bidding. The other son is less transparent. He tells his father he is going but instead he disobeys. Did he have a change of heart or was he simply lying in the first place?  Jesus tells the chief priests and elders that they are like this second son, because they too pretend to do the right thing, but they rejected John the Baptist when he called them to the way of righteousness.

In the First Reading, the righteous person commits iniquity. Iniquity isn’t just a synonym for sin. It refers to an act of grave injustice that is premeditated, so this is serious business. On the other hand, the wicked person turns away from their transgressions and follows the path of righteousness. These changes result in a role reversal, where the formerly wicked are now saved, and the righteous die for their iniquity.

Jesus warns the chief priests and elders that the tax collectors and prostitutes would see the kingdom of heaven before they would, a dramatic reversal that elevates these outcast sinners above the men who are supposed to be the spiritual leaders.

Reflecting upon our own lives, we might think these reversals are a little harsh. Didn’t the former good deeds of the righteous and the chief priests count for anything? Apparently, the house of Israel complained as well. But God, who knows the human heart, answers in the First Reading that it is not his ways that are unfair, but theirs.

The Second Reading expands on this. ”Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourself. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.”

The human mind and body seem built to resist change. Those of us who have tried to stop our bad eating (or drinking or smoking) habits and start a new exercise regime know how difficult this can be. Spiritual change is equally challenging. Starting a daily prayer habit, refraining from gossip or criticism or sarcasm all require an attitude change. We start with good intentions but often fall flat before the week (or day) is over.

Fortunately, our God is a God of infinite mercy. There is a saying that it is not how many times we fall that counts, it is how many times we get up and try again. Failure is only defeat if we lack the humility needed to learn new habits and give up old ones.

Today let each of us ask: How is God calling me to conversion this autumn season? What habits do I need to change? What new practices do I need to work into my days?

Humility and humiliation are closely related. Failure is only humiliating if we lack the humility needed to turn it into a fresh opportunity to align our will with God’s.