2023 26th Sunday (A)
What a bold statement from Jesus to the priests and the elders: “tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you.” Think about that… It’s quite an outrageous thing to say; in fact, it’s a very outrageous thing to say. It should, surely, be the other way round: that the priests and the elderly be the first into the Kingdom of God. But, no, Jesus is quite clear: the tax collectors and prostitutes will enter heaven first.
It is a shocking thing to say of both ‘priests’ and elders; priests, because they are supposed to live good and holy lives. ‘Elders’ because they should give good example to others. It is surely one of the advantages of growing older that one gets wiser. But it doesn’t always follow. Age is not necessarily the yardstick for wisdom or indeed holiness. I have often heard it said that life is a great teacher, and it’s true, but it doesn’t always follow that we learn the lessons of life.
Jesus was clearly upset with the elders he was addressing. They say “yes” to God but their actions betray their words. They say they believe in God but they don’t do what He commands. Their faith is superficial. Worse, they are arrogant; no one can tell teach them as they know it all. Jesus hasn’t a chance of breaking down their pride. Imagine their reaction to him, when he shows up their hypocrisy. These priests and elders of the people look down on most people. They are power people, used to being served not serving. Here comes an itinerant preacher from the north… from the north! – they look down on northeners – who had the gall to try to teach them. Who does he think he is?! No, there is no way they are going to listen. They probably tell him to go back to where he came from; how dare this nobody even speak to them.
The ”nobodies” of their world are people like the tax collectors and prostitutes. Such people, especially the prostitutes, had no pride, no self-esteem, had no value in their own eyes, never mind anyone else’s. Then along comes this ‘nobody’ and starts to befriend them. They’re not used to this. They’re not used to people listening to them. At first this stranger is a curiosity but gradually they realize he really does like them; and he likes them for who they are, not for what he can get from them. No, they are definitely not used to this. He speaks to them of love and mercy, of peace and freedom, of a God who is all forgiving. Not, sadly, the God the priests and elders have described. This is a God who gives them hope. Who makes them feel better about themselves. And after a while Jesus has them eating out of his hand. They end up praying to God: “forgive me Lord, my sins, my many sins.”
These prostitutes and tax collectors have much to teach us about the love and mercy of God; that God loves us in spite of our sins. Most of us have little control of our childhood which usually has such a profound effect on our lives, for good or bad. Some have good starts in life, some don’t. But life, and especially the Church, does teach us valuable lessons if we but listen. What matters in life is not so much how we begin, but how we finish.
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