Father Steven Reilly, LC
Matthew 21:28-32
Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: "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.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I thank you for giving me another opportunity to pray. Forgive me for when I donÂ’t give the best effort that I should. I know that you will help me to get the most out of this special time.
Petition: Lord, help me to see your hand at work all around me.
1. Conversions and Credibility. Giving sight to the blind, feeding huge crowds and cleansing lepers are truly impressive miracles. Christ did them all. But even more astounding were the conversions. If John helped people along “the way of righteousness,” we cannot even begin to fathom the impact Jesus had in souls. Indeed, the most hardened sinners — tax collectors and prostitutes — found hope in Jesus’ words and many, many prodigal sons and daughters returned to the Father’s house thanks to Jesus and his call to repentance and spiritual healing. Only the stubborn pessimism of the Pharisees could keep from seeing the total goodness of Jesus. We should never lose hope for any soul for whom we are praying.
2. The Passing of John Paul: A Sign for the World. When millions of people who descended upon Rome to say goodbye to John Paul II, we all felt holy pride in our Catholicism. We were the privileged witnesses in our own time of the massive power of the Gospel, as in the days of Jesus when crowds followed him everywhere, listening to his words of mercy. The media stood back in awe and gave hundreds of hours of coverage. It was a delight to turn on the evening news to be treated to a catechetical lesson on some aspect of John Paul’s life or the Church. We can see God’s providential designs. If Pope John Paul II had resigned earlier because of his declining health, humanity would have been denied this experience of being together on retreat. Of course, some will cling stubbornly to their secularism -- “Even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe in him” --, but it was a big victory for the Lord and we should continue to relish in it.
3. If You Can See the Fruits, WhatÂ’s Holding You Back? That brings up another question, more pertinent and personal: WhatÂ’s our next step? The Pharisees clung tenaciously to their prejudiced view of Christ; their lack of positive response is understandable. Similarly the secularists can be expected to continue their unrelenting battle against the values of the Gospel. But what about us? We saw the fruits of John Paul IIÂ’s life. Our own commitment to holiness should be the first great step. More than anything else, Pope John Paul was a prayer warrior who won victories on his knees. He was also a man of action, who never wearied of new initiatives, filled with hope in GodÂ’s power. The next move is ours.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, help me to never be content with being a courtside cheerleader for the Church. I know that you want me in the middle of the fray. Help me to be confident in your power and grace.
Resolution: I will volunteer for an evangelizing activity in my parish or some other Christian apostolate.