Dear Parishioners,
When I was a young boy and failed to do some chore or put off an unpleasant job, my father would call me in for a little talk. My usual excuse was that I intended to do the task but just hadn’t gotten around to it. My father would often respond by saying, “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.”
In today’s gospel (MT 21:28-32), the older son intended to carry out his father’s request. He had the right intention, spoke courteously to his father, but never got around to fulfilling his father’s request. Meanwhile, the second son’s intention was just the opposite of his brother’s. But he changed his mind and did as his father asked.
Why did he change his mind? Was it out of guilt or love or fear of punishment? Maybe it was a little bit of all those reactions. The important thing is that he did it because his father asked him. God our Father asks us to work for him in the fields of life. It would be best if we did it out of love and gratitude, but maybe we have to start with less noble motives. The important thing is that we do it and serve him simply because he asks us. After all, our loving Father only wants what is best for us. As the title of the 1950s sitcom suggested “Father Knows Best.”
Fr. Carl
