＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13

 Woe to the rebellious, the defiled,

The city that op­presses  She did not pay attention to the call nor accept the correction; she did not trust Yahweh nor did she approach her God. At that time I will give truthful lips to the pagan nations that all of them may call on the name of Yahweh and serve him with the same zeal.

 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia they will bring offerings to me. God in the midst of the meek  On that day you will no longer be ashamed of all your deeds when you were unfaithful to me; I will have removed from your midst the conceited and arrogant and my holy mountain will no longer be for you a pretext for boasting.

 I will leave within you a poor and meek people who seek refuge in God. The remnant of Israel will not act unjustly nor will they speak falsely, nor will deceitful words be found in their mouths. They will eat and rest with none to threaten them.

 

Ps 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-18, 19 & 23

The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

 

＊＊＊＊ 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：

Privileges give us advantages over others. Receiving special treatment can mean much specially when one is quite tired or harassed. But it can also be quie dangerous. There lurks in being privileged the danger of undue sense of entitlement.

The end result of this undue sense of entitlement is the withdrawal of the privilege. Such is the lesson of the readings of this day. Israel’s pride results in the privilege being transferred to others more worthy.

This is the meaning of the parable of the two sons in the Gospel. The first reading from Zephaniah prophesies the blessing of the pagans, non-Israelites. And that prophecy includes us!

With privilege comes responsibility. John the Baptist prophesied right, that when the Lord would come the wicked – those who refuse to repent – shall get their just desserts. Those who repent shall enter the kingdom.

May we be counted among those who repent! those who repent are those whom Jesus earlier referred to as the “least in the kingdom of God” (see Gospel of December 10)