The natural question that comes to mind after reading the parable of the two sons in the Gospel of Matthew is, “which one am I, the first or the second son?” This parable naturally moves us into an examination of conscience. There is something about the “blatant no” of the first son and the “insincere yes” of the second son that strikes deeply knowing how often we do both.
To do the will of the Father. To do His will without the layers and fears attached to it. Will it hurt? How much will He ask for? What will He ask for? What do we need to give up?
To simply, lovingly and whole-heartedly do His will … how amazing this would be. As they journeyed to Bethlehem, our Blessed Mother and St. Joseph did not know what the future would hold. They had everything against them but continued to step out into the unknown with great faith knowing they were doing the Father’s will. Theirs was both a resounding “yes.” True, St. Joseph’s “yes” looked a little different than Mary’s but once He knew it was the Lord, there was no hesitation.
Instead of our being a “no, then yes” or a “yes, then no” people, let us strive to be a “yes, YES” disciple, knowing that it is the Lord who is approaching us. The Lord is faithful. He has always been and will always be faithful. Trusting and resting in this truth, let our “YES” … transform our hearts to be more and more like that of Jesus, who was born to do the will of the Father, born to die so that we might live. “Yes, Lord, we come to do your will.”
By Sister Mary Scholastica, OCD
This article appears here with the kind permission of the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles. To learn more about their community and work, read their biography below and visit their website.
Image credit: Andrei Mironov, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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