First Impression is not good enough in the Kingdom of God
In your social interactions, have you come across individuals who make a very good first impression on you? After a few minutes of conversation with you, they address you by your first name; they talk as if you have known each other for years; and they look at you as if you are the only one who matters to them. And then, after a few months you come across this person and you approach them with the same spirit of familiarity that they exhibited to you in your last meeting, but alas, they don’t know you from Adam! And to add to your disappointment, they are embarrassed, or even show some annoyance that you want a favour from them!
On the other hand, there are others who might look grumpy, aloof and quiet during social interactions. They may not take the first step to smile or engage with you in a conversation. You take the first step and talk to them. The conversation becomes very deep. You exchange personal details. And then, after a few months you come across this person and they remember every detail of your previous conversation with them.
This is how first impressions could work in human interactions. Having said that, we need to acknowledge too that, sometimes continued interactions do confirm our first impressions about people. In any case, we can’t judge people based on first impressions!
The Word of God, on this 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time, invites us to realise that our attempts to create a first impression on God matters nothing to Him. God is not to be misled by ‘screen savers’ and flashy displays. That is why, the Psalmist sings: it is not sacrifice that you desire, but only my truthful contrite heart (Ps 51:17, paraphrased).
First Impression is not good enough:
“Tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the Kingdom of God before you” (Mt 21:31b).
Do we think: just because I come to church on Sundays, just because I got my child baptised, and just because I read the Bible that I have a direct access to the KOG? These are only first impressions. They don’t really matter if what I AM and what I DO on a daily basis do not reflect the plan of God for me – that is, doing the Father’s will.
The Parable of the Two Sons that we have heard read from Matthew (21:28-32), which is unique to Matthew, reminds us of the so-called Parable of the Prodigal Son, which is unique to Luke (15:11-32). I would say, the parable of today is Matthew’s abridged version of the Parable of Prodigal Son. Both talk about two sons. In both parables the son who first said ‘no’ found himself in the bosom of the Father, and the son who said ‘yes’ is ultimately outside the home of the father. This seems not logical. “You object: ‘What the Lord does is unjust’” (Ezekiel 18:25), as we heard it in the 1st reading of today. So what is indeed the logic of God?
Often we tend to reduce the teachings of Jesus to a set of moral codes. This is an easy way out: to claim to know what is it all about, and summarise Christianity to struggling to follow that set of moral norms. Even based on the gospel text of today, we could reduce the expression: “doing the will of the father” (Mt 21:31a) to obeying a set of commandments. Remember, this parable is addressed to chief priests and the elders, who guard the institutional aspects of religion: creed, code and cult. So Jesus is simply inviting us to look beyond. He once again insists that religion is a matter of the mind and heart.
Beyond the First Impressions:
“In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5).
What I find more meaningful but challenging in my own Christian life is “to put on the mind of Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). I think being a Christian is taking on the consciousness of Christ. I know, personally I am far from it. I must acknowledge that in many aspects of my life I am likeSt Augustine, I say, “Yes Lord, but not yet!” However, despite this challenge, I do not want to reduce my Christian life to a clear set of criteria in term of fulfilling rituals and obeying moral norms.
The first son in the gospel of today represents the institutional religion. Followers of this type of religion can pay lip-service to the God who is mystery, and try to pigeonhole Jesus into their own structures. They are unable to be surprised by God – in Jesus. The second son stands for the “outsiders” who may be accustomed to saying ‘No’ to God, but responding to their inner thirst, in due course they begin a deep search for God. The point is that we need to be courageous to walk the road less travelled.
It is important to understand that we are not downplaying the importance of meaningful celebration of liturgy, visionary leadership, and humane guidelines in the believing community. Surely, Jesus is not saying we have to say ‘No’ to God first and then repent. But the question is, do we use these existing structures of creed, code and cult to seek the will of God: “to allow the life of God to flow in us”, as St Ignatius of Loyola put it?
I choose to be in the church today because I want to pursue that ideal: to take on the consciousness of Christ; to put on the mind of Christ. (And when I use this expression I do not want to go down the easy path of some ‘New Age’ stuff.) St Paul attempts to explain this in the 2nd reading of today. It is being ready for death and resurrection. Jesus was open to the will of his Father, to be an example for us, to allow the life of God to flow in him – even if that meant first going through suffering and death. Does this seem too idealistic, and not accessible to all? It seems difficult if we want to be sure of everything before we even begin the journey. On the other hand, our Christian life becomes meaningful if we open up ourselves to God on a daily basis, and keep searching. That is why we pray with the Psalmist today (25:4-5):
Lord, make me know your ways.
Lord, teach me your paths.
Make me walk in your truth, and teach me:
for you are God my saviour.