Tuesday, December 15, 2009

that Jesus and his unfortunately-true life lessons...

today's Gospel reading:

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.”

-Matthew 21:28-32

in real world terms, i think this means that people i hate, people i think are making bad choices, people who i think is ugly or dirty or mean - chances are, they're all prancing into heaven while i'm lagging behind...because having faith when you don't have anything else good is important and holy and so hard to find...

who are the tax collectors and prostitutes in my life? will i know them as the stealth faith rolemodels they are? or will i just keep distancing myself in some sort of unholy self-satisfied judgement? dear God, let it be the former, not the latter...