Homily for a Penance Service

Homily for a Penance Service – Advent, 2002

Zephaniah 3:1-2; 9-13 Matthew 21:28-32

The story we have just heard reminds us of another Gospel story of two brothers, the parable of the prodigal son - a gospel commonly used at penance services. This present story is much simpler and much more direct. The message here is one frequently repeated by our Lord throughout his ministry: that we will be judged, not so much by what we say, but by what we do. The first son says "no." He has no intention of obeying his father; he is rude and disrespectful. But later, he repents and does his father’s will. The second son says "yes" to his father. He makes a good show of outward compliance, and perhaps he even has the good intention of obeying his father (but of course you know what they say about good intentions). In the end however, what counts is not his lip service, but his lack of service.

"Which of the two," asks Jesus, "did his father’s will?" The answer is clear. No matter how wrong the first son was in his initial response, he’s the one who actually did what was asked, and he’s the one our Lord commends.

Throughout our lives, we are invited to respond to God’s grace - to say "yes" to God and then to do what we have promised. But we’re here tonight because we recognize that there have been times when we have said "no" and, like the first son, we’re ready now to repent - to turn from our sins and to do the works our heavenly Father calls us to do. Or perhaps, like the second son, we’ve made an empty show of our faith. We’ve presumed to say "yes" to God, but have failed to follow through. Fortunately, even the second son gets a second chance, because as often as we confess our sins, God is ready to forgive us.

In the final analysis, neither son got it right. The correct response - the response Jesus is looking for in you and in me - is both to say "yes" and then to live that "yes" in our lives! This seems to be the point of the first reading - a prophecy of the messianic kingdom when the Lord "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." In other words, then God’s people will honor him, not only with their lips, but with their lives. This looks forward to the end of time when all things will be restored in Christ. But we can taste this ultimate happiness here and now through God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. "On that day," the Lord says, "you need not be ashamed of all your deeds, your rebellious actions against me." Why? Because he will purify us, through the power of his Holy Spirit, to do the works he calls us to do.

In the Gospel, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees because they heard the message of John the Baptist, but refused to obey. Throughout this Advent, we too have heard John’s message of repentance and his call to follow the way of righteousness. Now is your chance to say "yes." Now is your chance to make a good and complete confession of your sins, to receive the grace of forgiveness and the power to go forward in faith to meet the Lord and to labor in his vineyard.