Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Sept 28, 2014

Gospel: Matthew 21:23-32

When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

“What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.

Reflections:  Jesus answer the religious authorities’ challenge with one of his own. Nothing particularly unusual about that. But here is something interesting and revealing. Jesus promises to answer their questions if they answer his. But they don’t want to answer his. I can imaging them huddling, wringing their hands in anxiety. There just isn’t a good answer. Their solution? Say they don’t know.

            But Jesus takes this not as a confession of ignorance, but of obstinacy. They don’t want to answer because they don’t like the consequences of the answer. I notice that they aren’t preoccupied what is true. It seems they are more interested calculating an advantageous answer. Jesus response tells us that he knows what’s really going on.

            An open heart can entertain authentic question—and receive an authentic answer. A closed heart, however, cannot receive an authentic answer. An open heart is open to new understanding, a change of mind. The first son is honest that he doesn’t want to work in the vineyard, but he changes his mind. The second son curries the father’s favor by agreeing to work in the vineyard, but has already decided he won’t. Similarly, the tax collectors and sinner are open to changing their minds and their way of life. But those who are not willing to engage the Question that Christ is . . . cannot come to him.

            Jesus, recognizing the refusal of the religious leaders to engage him authentically, refuses to engage them.