From: Matthew 21:28-32

The Parable of the Two Sons

(Jesus told the chief priests and the elders,) [28] “What do you think? A man had
two sons; and he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard to-
day.’ [29] And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterwards he repented and went. [30]
And he went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but
did not go. [31] Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go in-
to the kingdom of God before you. [32] For John came to you in the way of righ-
teousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots be-
lieved him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe
him.

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Commentary:

32. St. John the Baptist had shown the way to sanctification by proclaiming the
imminence of the Kingdom of God and by preaching conversion. The scribes and
Pharisees would not believe him, yet they boasted of their faithfulness to God’s
teaching. They were like the son who says “I will go” and then does not go; the
tax collectors and prostitutes who repented and corrected the course of their
lives will enter the Kingdom before them: they are like the other son who says “I
will not”, but then does go. Our Lord stresses that penance and conversion can
set people on the road to holiness even if they have been living apart from God
for a long time.

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Mass Readings

First reading	Zephaniah 3:1-2,9-13 ©

Trouble is coming to the rebellious, the defiled,

the tyrannical city!

She would never listen to the call,

would never learn the lesson;

she has never trusted in the Lord,

never drawn near to her God.

Yes, I will then give the peoples lips that are clean,

so that all may invoke the name of the Lord

and serve him under the same yoke.

From beyond the banks of the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants

will bring me offerings.

When that day comes

you need feel no shame for all the misdeeds

you have committed against me,

for I will remove your proud boasters

from your midst;

and you will cease to strut

on my holy mountain.

In your midst I will leave

a humble and lowly people,

and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of the Lord.

They will do no wrong,

will tell no lies;

and the perjured tongue will no longer

be found in their mouths.

But they will be able to graze and rest

with no one to disturb them.

Psalm	Psalm 33:2-3,6-7,16,18-19,23

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 went and said to the first, “My boy, you go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not go,” but afterwards thought better of it and went. The man then went and said the same thing to the second who answered, “Certainly, sir,” but did not go. Which of the two did the father’s will?’ ‘The first’ they said. Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you, a pattern of true righteousness, but you did not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him.’