Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel: Matthew 21: 28-32

Jesus said to the chief priests and 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.’
He said in reply, ‘I will not,’
but afterwards 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.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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When the British author GK Chesterton was asked, “What’s wrong with the world?” 

He replied, “Sir, I am.”

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Most of us would answer differently.

What’s wrong with the world?

My ex. Bad drivers. Politicians. Corruption. War. Cancer. Disease. Pollution.

Anything – and anyone – but me.

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Why would Chesterton, a devout Christian, publicly indict himself as being part of the world’s problems? 

Like the second brother in today’s Gospel, he admitted to being a “yes man,” vowing to live the faith he professed.

But often enough he fell short.

He would hear the teachings of Christ on Sunday morning – love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you, turn the other cheek, take up your cross and follow me – and would have every intention of doing it.

But then came Monday morning.

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Are we any different?

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Perhaps one of the greatest condemnations lobbed at people of faith is hypocrisy – we say one thing and do another. But I think for most of us, the difference is far more subtle. It isn’t that we live double lives; we actually intend to do what we say and live the faith we profess.

But we also recognize how hard that can be.

It’s not just Christians. People in general are reminded of how hard it is to change with the advent of every new year. 

Studies suggest that only 3 in 10 Americans make a New Year’s resolution. And the older you are, the less likely you are to do it. Whereas half of young adults ages 18 to 29 resolve to grow or change, only 20% of adults over 50 do.

Why is that?

Perhaps because the older we are, the more experience we’ve had with trying and failing. 

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Consider some common examples.

Every year some people resolve to grow in their spiritual life, to pray more, to read the bible from cover to cover, or to get involved in ministry. 

Others vow to put more time and effort into the relationships they value most – their marriage, their family, or their friends. They’ll work less, spend more quality time, and do more family-centered activities. 

They’ll take control of their health. Go to the doctor, diet, and exercise regularly. 

Invest in reducing their stress and improving their mental health.

Save more, spend less, and give more away.

We make these resolutions with the best of intentions. But nearly a quarter of us who try quit within a week.

Only 1 in 10 keeps their resolution throughout the year.

There’s something strange about the stress of ordinary life, the burdens of work and family, or the albatross of a bad habit that weighs us down, reducing our good intentions to just that – a mere intention. 

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Such a humbling truth about the difficulty of change makes Chesterton’s assertion much easier to understand – and yes, to identify with. 

What’s wrong with the world?

At times, I am.

I intend to do good. 

I intend to love.

I intend to be humble.

I intend to be grateful.

I intend to forgive.

I intend to follow Jesus.

I bear all of these good intentions in my heart.

On Sunday mornings, or at the start of a new year, I say “yes” like the second son in today’s Gospel.

But then comes Monday. 

I try, and often enough, I fail.

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So, how do we bridge that gap between intention and action?

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We become more like the first son in today’s Gospel who says “no” to doing his father’s will, but then experiences an inner conversion, motivating him to change. 

He repents and takes action.

That’s the type of person who is pleasing to God.

Not the perfect.

Not the “yes man.”

Not the one with the best of intentions.

But the imperfect ones – people like tax collectors and sinners – who amend their lives and do their Father’s will.

Lord, grant us the grace of conversion, moving our words into action this week.

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Image credits: (1) God & Life & Stuff (2) Medium (3) Voice of Faith, Norah02345 Instagram

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Gospel: Luke 9:18-22

Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,
and the disciples were with him,
he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah;
still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”
He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.

He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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The Chosen is a widely acclaimed historical drama about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.

Each episode allows viewers to engage their imagination as they dive deeper into the personalities of each character, the culture and terrain of ancient Palestine, as well as other little details that are often excluded in the Gospels.

Perhaps most importantly of all, the series makes people feel like Jesus, Peter, and the other disciples are real people.

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While I’ve not seen the entire series, I’d imagine today’s Gospel would be included in one of those episodes. 

The disciples have just returned from their first missionary journey, where they themselves were given Christ’s power to cast out demons and heal people in his name. Now they’ve reunited while their Master is deep in prayer.

Suddenly, Jesus pauses, turns to them, and asks them two questions: “Who do the crowds say that I am?” … And, “Who do you say that I am?”

I imagine James and John looking down at their sandals, kicking a pebble or two. Maybe Judas is jingling the coins in his pocket. And Thomas is deep in thought asking himself the same question, “Who do I say that Jesus is?”

Breaking the tension, Peter pipes up and gets it right: “The Christ of God.”

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While Peter may have saved the group from an uncomfortable evening lecture around the campfire, the other disciples represent where so many adult Christians are at today. 

When people ask us about who Jesus is, we can feel tongue-tied, as if the answer is just on the tip of our tongue, or hidden somewhere deep in our heart, yet we struggle to bring it to the surface and share.

Yet the Lord longs for us to be well versed in the faith, the same way Peter was that day.

As it’s been said, “You may be the only bible a person ever reads.” 

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Image credits: (1) Christ Pantocrator, Sinai (2) The Chosen, Deadline (3) St. Peter’s Church

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Gospel: Luke 9:7-9

Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening,
and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,
“John has been raised from the dead”;
others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”;
still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.”
But Herod said, “John I beheaded.
Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”
And he kept trying to see him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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The fact that King Herod remains haunted by the death of John the Baptist is a sign that Jesus’ public ministry is working. 

The Lord has given his authority to the Twelve Apostles, not only to preach, but also to cast out demons and cure diseases of every kind. 

Hope in a different king is spreading.

This stage in the development of the Church reminds us that preaching and healing go hand in hand; we cannot simply speak about the kingdom of God. We must also back our words up with action.

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For example, I ran a bible study in a prison in Rome for three years. Week after week, I’d teach a handful of inmates about what Christ said, including, “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do to me.”

So when one of the inmates complained about being cold, I brought him a beanie to cover his head. One of the guards noticed and asked me why I’d do such a thing,

I responded simply, “How can you believe in God with a cold head?”

That man was Christ in distressing disguise.

A belief I not only needed to teach; I also needed to act on.

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Much like the Apostles who not only spoke about the kingdom of God, but also did something about it, our faith must always be supported by our actions. As Saint James reminds us, “Faith without works is dead.”

What might it look like to put our faith into practice today?

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Image credits: (1) Be Still… (2) The Catholic Miscellaney (3) QuoteFancy