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Gospel Reading for September 27, 2026 – Matthew 21: 28-32
“HOLIER THAN THOU”
Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ He said in reply, ‘I will not,’. but afterwards changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir, ‘but did not go.
Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.”
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The chief priests, elders, Pharisees, and scribes were always on the lookout for sinners. They were always looking for someone to condemn. Of course, this gave them the opportunity to have the “HOLIER THAN THOU” attitude.
Sinners were like the first son who said “No” to his father but went to the vineyard anyway. The chief priests, elders, Pharisees, and scribes were like the second son who said “Yes,” but did not go to the vineyard.
We can never label people as sinners because only God sees what they carry in their hearts. And we can never think of ourselves as righteous all the time because, somehow, we fall, and God sees that too.
In life, we are responsible before God for ourselves and for the things we do. Hence, instead of being on the lookout for sinners, we have to be on the lookout for the kind of life we ourselves live. We need to reflect constantly on whether we truly say “Yes” to God—and mean our “Yes.”
Lord Jesus, help us to look at the plank in our own eye rather than at the speck in someone else’s eye. Amen.
