September 28, 2008, 26th Sunday in OT, Cycle A

Today’s Gospel presents two sons, both of them portray most succinctly each one of us at different times in our lives, as we relate to God. There are times when we turn away, ignore the Voice–often at a distance from church, Mass and holy things. Other times, we are attending Mass, prayer groups, and Bible study groups, or maybe we’ve found spirituality in something else, but we’re practicing it....but, with all the “hoopla” of our practice, we know deep inside that we’ve closed ourselves off to what The Voice is asking of us. This is SO human and SO normal. So, how do we move? Change? Oh, it’s all a mystery–the Grace of God. We find ways to justify ourselves for a while–like what Ezekiel knew people in his day were saying: “The Lord’s way isn’t fair!” Or any number of other self-justifications for remaining pretty dense and ugly! Then, what happens? Somehow, we sense what God has done for us, in Christ, or in blessings more diverse, and we find ourselves on our knees! But, the readings call us NOT to stay on those knees; that’s not where we’re wanted! We are wanted “in the field” to which we were called by “our Father” in the first place, doing what we were asked to do. So, let’s get busy, shall we?