Sunday, September 27, 2020 - 26th week of Ordinary Time - Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 21, 28-32 - My sheep listen to my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.

Dear Christians, the Church urges us this week to match our words with our actions. And Jesus' question, "What do you think?" urges us to turn to our inner self, to introspect, to examine our conscience.

The first thing we will consider in this parable is the relationship, which there is at present, between parents and children; it reminds us of the fourth commandment. It is the duty of parents to take care of their children, but it is the duty of children to respect and obey their parents. The current situation is worrying because children's rights are strongly proclaimed and they are even taught to claim these rights. The problem is that they are not taught their duty to respect and obey their parents, so they are tempted to substitute themselves for the parents, because the teaching is one-way. As a result, family life is disrupted. Selfishness: claiming rights without wanting to fulfil one's obligations.

The eldest son in the parable, who refused but later repented and agreed to fulfil the mission his father entrusted to him, is a representation of the sinner who is not predestined to perish in the eyes of God, that is, when we repent, God forgives. He renews us, He does not lock us up in our past. Everyone can change, repent. No one is destined to perish, but everyone can find the way to salvation. The younger son is at the centre of this parable: he said "yes" with his mouth, but "no" with his deeds. Rhetoric is not enough. How many good words and good ideas there are, but our life is in decline because they are not implemented; it remains speech, demagogy. Faith is neither an idea nor a word but a way of life. Our ancestors said: "A hundred words, a thousand speeches, but there is only one truth", this is what is followed by action. May our whole life be a practice of what we preach in words. Amen.