Before God, man responds in varied and sometimes opposite ways; there are those who welcome him with enthusiasm and those who vehemently reject him. Today’s Gospel passage is an example of this. But let’s go to the beginning of the story, where Jesus says that “a man had two sons”. The passage does not speak of a father but of a man (ànthropos). Maybe it is not well understood, or maybe it’s given to us to understand one important thing: a father cannot define himself, but he is defined by own son. A father generates, but it is the recognition of the son that sometimes gives rise to paternity. Without this recognition we are anonymous. This father then invites his two sons to go to work in the vineyard. The order is only for that day (Mt 21.28): it requires a minimum of submission. The verb «to work» (ergàzomai), which does not have a servile connotation. We could say that the father sends his children to shape, to give shape to a certain reality. This reality is their existence. These two children are therefore sent to realize themselves, to bring fulfilment to their lives, to creatively follow their history. And here are the two reactions. The first says no, that is, he doesn’t want to, but then he goes; The second is enthusiastic but then withdraws and refuses. If it is true that the vineyard is an image of our existence, which is a gift and a task, it is equally true that we can operate in it only in freedom and not by constraint. And that’s what the first child understands. The second one did not understand that his father’s command was an invitation and not an imperative, to give shape his life, as we have said; so, he retreats, perhaps frightened by the undertaking. Doing the will of God means realizing oneself, bringing one’s being to completion in the image and likeness (cf. Gen 1,26), to have, as Peter writes (cf. 1Pt 2,12) a life that is beautiful (kalos) that is, meaningful and satisfying.

Good Father,
help us to grow in love
to experience our true filial freedom.
Teach us to transform into “yes”
the many “no’s” that still separate us from you
to the point of saying “here we are” without reservations.

Commentary by b. Sandro Carotta, osb Abbazia di Santa Maria – Praglia (Italy)

Translation by f. Mark Hargreaves,Prinknash Abbey