The difference between saying without doing and doing without saying

December 15, 2015

Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent

Saints of the Day: Saint Virginia Bracelli (1587-1651),  Saint Mesmin (520)

Reading 1

Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13

1Thus says the LORD: Woe to the city, rebellious and polluted, to the tyrannical city! 2She hears no voice, accepts no correction; In the LORD she has not trusted, to her God she has not drawn near.

9For then I will change and purify the lips of the peoples, That they all may call upon the name of the LORD, to serve Him with one accord; 10From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia and as far as the recesses of the North, they shall bring me offerings.

11On that day you need not be ashamed of all your deeds, your rebellious actions against me; For then will I remove from your midst the proud braggarts, And you shall no longer exalt yourself on my holy mountain.

12But I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly, who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD: 13the remnant of Israel. They shall do no wrong and speak no lies; Nor shall there be found in their mouths a deceitful tongue; They shall pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalms 34:2-3. 6-7, 17-18, 19 and 23

R. (7a)  The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

2I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall be ever in my mouth. 3Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear me and be glad.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

6Look to Him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. 7When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress He saved him.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

17The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth. 18When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress He rescues them.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

19The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit He saves. 23The LORD redeems the lives of His servants; no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in Him.

R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Come, O Lord, do not delay; forgive the sins of your people.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel 

Matthew 21:28-32

28Jesus 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.’ [1]

29The son said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. 30The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. 31Which 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.[2]  32When 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.”[3]

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Notes on Readings: 

[1] Matthew 21:28-32 - The series of controversies is interrupted by three parables on the judgment of Israel (Matthew 21:28 -22:14  of which this, peculiar to Matthew, is the first. The second (Matthew 21:33-46) comes from Mark (12:1-12) , and the third (Matthew 22:1-14)  from Q; see  Luke 14:15-24. This interruption of the controversies is similar to that in Mark, although Mark has only one parable between the first and second controversy. As regards Mattew's first parable,Matthew 21:28-30  if taken by themselves could point simply to the difference between saying and doing, a theme of much importance in this gospel (compare with Matthew 7:21 h(compare with Matthew 7:21; 12:50); that may have been the parable's original reference. However, it is given a more specific application by the addition of Matthew 21:31-32. The two sons represent, respectively, the religious leaders and the religious outcasts who followed John's call to repentance. By the answer they give to Jesus' question (Matthew 21:31) the leaders condemn themselves. There is much confusion in the textual tradition of the parable. Of the three different forms of the text given by important textual witnesses, one has the leaders answer that the son who agreed to go but did not was the one who did the father's will. Although some scholars accept that as the original reading, their arguments in favor of it seem unconvincing. The choice probably lies only between a reading that puts the son who agrees and then disobeys before the son who at first refuses and then obeys, and the reading followed in the present translation. The witnesses to the latter reading are slightly better than those that support the other. 

[2] Matthew 21:31 - Entering . . . before you: this probably means "they enter; you do not."

[3] Matthew 21:32  - compare with Luke 7:29-30. Although the thought is similar to that of the Lucan text, the formulation is so different that it is improbable that the saying comes from Q. Came to you . . . way of righteousness: several meanings are possible: that John himself was righteous, that he taught righteousness to others, or that he had an important place in God's plan of salvation. For the last, see the note on Matthew 3:14-15.