＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Ezekiel 18:25-28

But you say: Yahweh’s way is not just!

Why, Israel! Is my position wrong? Is it not rather that yours is wrong? If the righteous man dies after turning from his righteous deeds and sinning, he dies because of his sins. And if the wicked man does what is good and right, after turning from the sins he com­­mitted, he will save his life.

 He will live and not die, because he has opened his eyes and turned from the sins he had committed.

 

Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (6a)

Remember your mercies, O Lord.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

Philippians 2:1-11

 If I may advise you in the name of Christ and if you can hear it as the voice of love; if we share the same spirit and are capable of mercy and compassion, then I beg of youmake me very happy: have one love, one spirit, one feeling, do nothing through rivalry or vain conceit.

On the contrary let each of you gently con­si­der the others as more important than your­selves. Do not seek your own interest, but rather that of others. Your attitude should be the same as Jesus Christ had:

 Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped,  but emptied himself, taking on the nature of a servant, made in human likeness, and in his appearance found as a man.

He humbled himself by being obedient to death, death on the cross.  That is why God exalted him and gave him the Name which outshines all names,  so that at the Name of Jesus all knees should bend in heaven, on earth and among the dead,  and all tongues proclaim that Christ Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Matthew 21:28-32

 Jesus went on to say, “What do you think of this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said to him: ‘Son, today go and work in my vineyard.’ And the son answered: ‘I don’t want to.’

But later he thought better of it and went. Then the father went to the second and gave him the same command. This son replied: ‘I will go, sir,’ but he did not go.  Which of the two did what the father wanted?” They answered, “The first.” And Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you: the publicans and the prostitutes are ahead of you on the way to the kingdom of heaven. 

For John came to show you the way of goodness but you did not believe him, yet the publicans and the prostitutes did. You were witnesses of this, but you neither repented nor believed him.

 

Gospel Reflection：

Read:

Yahweh urges His people to compare His ways with this world’s ways and weigh in carefully which one is the right way. The Gospel appreciates those who spend time thinking deeply of God’s invitation.

Reflect:

Sometimes we commit to something just to please someone. We do not think deeply of the matter put before us. we rely on the availability of possible excuses once we cannot make good of our promise.

Sometimes, we invent the excuses. God does not ask for our commitment just to be pleased. Hence, He gives us time to discern. Many of the prophets He called did not decide immediately.

They underwent processes of negating and running away. But they deeply thought of God’s offer and then they come back strong and dedicated.

Pray:

We pray for those who do not have time to make proper decisions for their life and vocation.

Act:

Ask your children what they want to do with their life. Ask young people about their dreams. Then help them discern properly those aspirations and dreams.