Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent
There’s an old joke that Jewish rabbis answer questions with more questions. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is in full rabbi mode. He turns the tables on the priests and elders, asking them a question that is meant to challenge their way of life. He tells them a story of two sons, one who first refused to obey his father but ultimately did, and another who said he would obey right away but never went to work. Jesus then asks his listeners which one did the father’s will. It’s a no-brainer, for them and probably for us. The first son really did the father’s will, for even though he took his time, he obeyed and did the work.
We know in our hearts that talk is cheap and what really matters is how we act. Today’s first reading is a stark reminder that we are surrounded by injustice. We live in a “city” (an image for our culture or maybe our whole world) that does not heed God’s words. God’s will is not just that we offer lip service but that we attend to the demands of justice. This is hard work and we might be reluctant. We might put ourselves before others or take refuge in arguments rather than devoting ourselves to the hard work of Christian charity.
The difficulty of this comes out in the first reading as the prophet says that God will leave only a remnant, a “people humble and lowly.” When I think of a remnant, I think of scraps, of bits of fabrics or paper that litter my craft desk. And yet, just as the mystery of the Incarnation teaches us, God’s grace shines where we least expect it. We hurry to finish our Christmas preparations, and today’s readings give us pause, to reflect on how much of the “city” we’re drinking in. And although it’s a curious and almost strange one, our prayer out of today’s readings might be asking to be part of the remnant, the lowly and humble people of God.
- Katherine Schmidt