Daily Gospel Reflection
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December 15, 2020
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
“What is your opinion?
A man had two sons.
He came to the first and said,
‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’
The son said in reply, ‘I will not,’
but afterwards he changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order.
He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go.
Which of the two did his father’s will?”
They answered, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you,
tax collectors and prostitutes
are entering the Kingdom of God before you.
When John came to you in the way of righteousness,
you did not believe him;
but tax collectors and prostitutes did.
Yet even when you saw that,
you did not later change your minds and believe him.”
Immediately, this reading made me think of my three year old son. He is my exact, real life parallel of the two sons in today’s gospel.
“Clean up your toys before dinner, please,” I say. Sometimes he responds, “No.” But then he comes around and picks up his toys without much further prompting. Other times, he cheerfully says, “Okay, dad!” but even a moment’s distraction knocks him off course. Then, when I try to help him get back on track, it can result in further resistance, maybe even a tantrum.
When I first read this gospel, I thought that I should reflect on which son I identify with more closely. But, when I thought about my own son’s behavior, I realized that we should all identify with both of the sons in this gospel, not one or the other. Sometimes we say, yes to God, sometimes we say no. Sometimes we do God’s will, sometimes we don’t. It’s not an either/or proposition. The only constant is God. At the end of the day, God promises to help us and guide us no matter what.
When my son is struggling to pick up his toys, I move his blocks close to his toy bin and encourage him to put them away. All parents do this, I think. It helps the kids learn. It prevents them from getting discouraged by the size of the task before them. We do most of the work, but we invite them and require them to participate. It is not my intention, with this analogy to compare myself to God. Rather, my role as a parent helps me see how I am like a child, in need of God’s grace.
Prayer
Like the second son in today’s Gospel, Lord, we make promises that we do not keep. We get lazy or turn away from the work in the vineyard which you ask us to do. Please give us another chance when we stumble, and usher us one day into your kingdom. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Virginia Centurione Bracelli was an Italian woman in a struggling marriage until the death of her husband freed her to dedicate all of her resources to serving those most in need in her community.
She was born in 1587 in Genoa to a family of nobles. Though she felt a calling to dedicate her life to prayer and service in a religious community, she was given in marriage to a well-known and wealthy young man, Gaspare.
The couple had two daughters, but Gaspare’s attention was divided by pursuits of pleasure. Living harshly shortened his life, and Virginia found herself a widow by the time she was 20. Her father tried to arrange a second marriage, but she refused and made a vow of chastity.
While she remained obedient to her father in other matters, and never disregarded the care of her own children, she began to share her available time and resources with those in need. She felt called to serve God through the poor, and dedicated half of her wealth to those who lacked what they needed for a dignified life.
When her daughters had grown and accepted marriages, Virginia turned her full attention to helping orphans, the elderly, and the sick. War, epidemics, and famine all brought many suffering people to her doorstep. She began to go a step further, traveling to disreputable areas of the city to seek out those in danger, especially women.
An empty convent stood near the town, and she was given permission to rent it to care for children who were orphaned and suffering from a plague and famine. Other women came to join her in service. Within three years, some 300 were receiving care there, and the center was recognized as a hospital. She organized the women who came to help her into a community, and spent the rest of her life supporting their work to serve God through the poor.
Nobles and government officials called upon her to help mediate differences, and she gathered people to find ways to fight systems of inequality in the region. Despite all of these engagements, she never lost sight of the poor—she always had time and assistance to offer them, and continued to seek them out. She died on this date in 1651, and was canonized by Pope. St. John Paul II in 2003.
St. Virginia Centurione Bracelli, you served God through the poor, pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Virginia Centurione Bracelli is in the public domain. Last accessed November 21, 2024 on Wikimedia Commons.
