Matthew [21:28-32] The Parable of the Two Sons
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 21,28-32.
Jesus 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.'
He said in reply, 'I will not,' but afterwards he changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, 'Yes, sir,' but did not go.
Which 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.
When 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."
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
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Blessed Guerric of Igny (c.1080-1157)
Cistercian abbot
Sermon 1 for Saint John Baptist, §4-5 (© Cistercian Father series)
“John testified to the truth ...; he was a burning and shining lamp” (Jn 5:33.35)
To me, certainly, the birth of the world's Lamp brought fresh joy, for it enabled me to recognize the true Light shining in the darkness but not mastered by the darkness. ... We can wonder at your holiness, O John, most holy among the saints, but we cannot imitate it. It is altogether necessary that, as you hasten to prepare for the Lord a perfect people out of publicans and sinners, you should speak to them more accommodatingly than you yourself live and define the measure of perfection not in accordance with your own rule of life but in accordance with the possibilities of the common run of men.
"Bring forth worthy fruits of repentance," he says. Our boast, brethren, is that we speak more perfectly than we live; whereas John, though living on a higher level than men can even understand, speaks to them in accordance with what they can take in. "Bring forth worthy fruits of repentance," he says. "l speak to you humanly because of the weakness of your nature. If there is no room in you as yet for the plenitude of all good things, at least be truly sorry for all your evils. If you are unable as yet to bring forth the fruits of perfect justice, let this be your perfection for the moment, to bring forth worthy fruits of repentance.”