26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Friends,

We all know what it is like to say yes to something and then struggle to follow through. Perhaps it is a commitment to exercise, returning a phone call, praying more consistently, or spending less time scrolling. Good intentions come easily but following through is another story.

This parable presents a message of great hope to those who find it difficult to follow the will of God. The first son, the one who said he would not obey the father but then changed his mind, refers to those who have initially rejected the will of God but then repented and turned back to Him. The second son represents those who claim to be faithful followers of the will of God, but are not. This second son presents us with a very dangerous trap we can fall into. He represents the interior disposition of the chief priests and elders of the people. They said one thing but did another. They acted as if they were righteous but were not.

Jesus' example makes it clear that when we look at these two sons, we must humbly strive to be like the first son. He invites us to acknowledge that we have failed to respond to God in many ways throughout our lives, while continually inviting us to change. There is great hope in this! We can place our confidence in Jesus' words to St. Faustina when He says, "The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy...[the one] who trusts in My mercy will not perish." Let us then run to the mercy of God through the Sacrament of Confession and the Eucharist and believe in Him.

Anthony Quinn
Young Adult Coordinator