26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today’s Scripture Readings can be understood as a plea to live a virtuous life, a life that exemplifies all that is wholesome about our human nature. Justice, compassion, mercy, selflessness, humility, and, above all, love, portray the best of who we can be. This is not to ignore the fact that we sometimes fall short of these virtues in our day-to-day living. Rather, it is to help us recognize that there is more goodness in the world than there is evil. It is found in the love of parents for their child, in the mercy we show the sick, the forgiveness we ask from a friend, and the compassion we have for one another. These little acts often go unnoticed but they are genuine expressions of a virtuous life.

In our First Reading today (Ezekiel 18:25-28), the prophet Ezekiel emphasizes the importance of remaining virtuous and not turning away from virtue by committing evil deeds. In other words, a life of goodness does not guarantee that we can remain right with God if we ultimately choose evil over goodness. In contrast, Ezekiel tries to get the Israelites to understand that God will give life to those who turn away from wickedness and do what is right and just. This is a difficult lesson for many of us to understand. We live a good life and expect an eternal reward. Another person leads a sinful life, sincerely repents on their deathbed and is forgiven, and may likewise inherit everlasting life in the kingdom of Heaven. How do we make sense of God’s concept of “justice”? It is a reminder that in our heart of hearts, we seek God’s mercy rather than God’s justice.

In our Second Reading (Philippians 2:1-11) St. Paul offers the suggestion: “Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus.” Jesus welcomed sinners who repented. We see that in today’s Gospel (Matthew 21:28-32) when he declared to the chief priests and elders of the people: “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.” St. Paul also reminds us of how and why Jesus would do such a thing. It is because the humility of Jesus enabled him to take the form of a slave through the Incarnation. Jesus poured himself out for our sake and was obedient to the will of his Heavenly Father, even accepting death on the Cross so that we could have new life in him. The core of his attitude was humility and obedience. It is an attitude that St. Paul says we should all make our own. “Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5)