Ezek. 18:25-8; Phil. 2:1-11; Mt. 21:28-32
Zen stories are
wonderful stories with deep insight. There is Zen story about the master
Bankei. His talks were attended not only by Zen students but by persons of all
ranks and sects. Once a self-centred Nichiren priest came to the temple,
determined to debate with Bankei.
When he saw that an audience was
attracted by the Master, Anger and jealousy took over him. He went to the
master and challenged him:
“Hey,
teacher!" he called out. "Wait a minute. Whoever respects you will
obey what you say, but a man like myself does not respect you. Can you make me
obey you?”
The Master's peace and
strength of mind and heart was least affected by any disrespect shown to them.
He accepted the challenge and said:
” Come up beside me
and I will show you.”
Proudly the priest
pushed his way through the crowd to the teacher.
Bankei smiled.
"Come over to my left side.”
The priest obeyed.
“No," said
Bankei, "we may talk better if you are on the right side. Step over here.”
The priest proudly
stepped over to the right.
“You see,"
observed Bankei, "you are obeying me and I think you are a very gentle
person. Now sit down and listen."
During today's reading
from the Gospel of Matthew, [Mt. 21:28-32] we heard Jesus tell the story of the
man who had two sons. The father asked one of his sons to go and work in the
vineyard. His son said that he would not go but he changed his mind and he
went. The second son said that he would go but he did not go. The son who
promised to go and work in the vineyard, but he did not go, he broke his
promise. He was no different than God's chosen people of the Old Testament who
broke the Old Covenant. He was no different than the people who listened to the
words of Jesus, but ignored them.
He was no different than the people within the Church today who break
the new Covenant of God by turnings away from His righteous ways.
This passage sets
before us a picture of two very imperfect sets of people, of whom one
set were none the less better than the other. Neither son in the story was
the kind of son to bring full joy to his father. Both were
unsatisfactory; but the one who in the end obeyed was incalculably better
than the other.
One of the great
lessons on obedience is taught in the story of Naaman. Naaman was ―captain of
the host of the king of Syria, and a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper‖
(2 Kings 5:1).
One of his wife’s
maidens, an Israelite who had great faith and concern for Naaman’s condition,
―said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in
Samaria! For he would recover him of his leprosy. (2 Kings 5:3). When the king
learned of this, he sent Naaman to the king of Israel with a letter and with
gifts, requesting that the king of Israel cure Naaman of his leprosy. He had
misunderstood the maiden’s comment and thought that the king of Israel was the
one who could cure his ailment. The Israelite king was very upset with this
request because he had no power to do such a thing. Yet, he knew if he did not
do it, it could mean war with the Syrians. Elisha, the prophet, heard of the
king’s distress and suggested, ―Let him come now to me, and he shall know that
there is a prophet in Israel. ―So Naaman came with his horses and with his
chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. ―And Elisha sent a messenger
unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again
to thee, and thou shalt be clean‖ (2 Kings 5:8–10). Naaman being a man of high
position was insulted that Elisha would send a messenger and not show him the
respect of coming himself. In addition, the simple nature of the message
offended him.
So he turned and
went away in a rage.
And his servants came
near, and spoke unto him, and said, my father, if the prophet had bid thee do
some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he
said to thee, Wash, and be clean? Then went he down, and dipped himself seven
times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came
again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean‖ (2 Kings
5:11–14). Naaman needed to have the faith of a child to be obedient as a child
before his flesh became clean as a little child’s.
Today’s Gospel tells
us that there are two very common classes of people in this world.
First, there are the people whose profession is much better than their
practice. They will promise anything. They make great protestations
of piety and fidelity. They fight for the rights of the church. They
collect together the down trodden to fight for their rights. But, their
practices lag behind. Most of us fall into this category. Our processions; our
charity; our compassion; our holy rites are only demonstrations without the
element of sincerity. The one who has never entered the church stands on
the street to condemn the injustices against the church and fight for the rights
of the church. The one, who has never understood the spirit of Jesus
tolerance, comes out with slogans for defending the church. They profess their faith but never practice.
Second, there are those whose practice is far better than their profession. They are fond of doing kind and generous things, almost in secret. But the real good man is the man in whom profession and practice meet and match.
Further, this parable teaches that
promises can never take the place of performance, and fine words are not
substitute for fine deeds. The world has many preachers, but it is still
looking for performers; the world is keen to have a Florence Nightingale;
a Gandhiji or a Mother Theresa.
An old saying goes, “When you make a
choice, you also choose the consequence of that choice. Let us choose
to obey God’s laws so we can enjoy the fullness of His promised
blessings.
Satish