Let us repent and return to Jesus.

Let us repent and return to Jesus.
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The religious leaders of Jerusalem questioned  Jesus' authority to enter the Temple to teach. (Mt 21:23). 

He answered their question with a question :  “The baptism of John, whence was it?” 

They refused to answer.

If they said, “From God,”  Jesus would embarrass them by asking why they didn’t believe him.  If they said, “From men,” the people would be up in arms.

  They pleaded ignorance, thus forfeiting any explanation of Jesus’ authority.

Now, Jesus asks them another question. 

He  tells them about two sons. One son refuses to obey his father in words but obeys in action and the other  accepts to obey but disobeys.
(Matthew.21:28-32)

Jesus asks, “Which of these two did his father’s will?” 

The religious leaders can recognize true obedience in this story. 

They know that words alone don’t count.

Surely they are not expecting what comes next: 

“Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of heaven before you.” 

These words of Jesus may  have been an insult to the men who prided themselves on being the spiritual leaders of God’s people!

  Tax collectors and prostitutes were sinners on the lowest rung of Jewish society. 

So, how on earth would they be ahead of those in positions of religious authority?

Ironically, it was out of their own mouths that the chief priests and elders had condemned themselves. 

They knew that action speaks louder than words. 

Lot of sinners  flocked to the Jordan River to hear John the Baptist preach. 

The sinners had asked him, “What should we do?” in their sincere desire to repent and start fresh with God (Luke.3:10-14). 

They repented for their sins and were  baptized by St. John.

By doing this, they did the will of their Father. 

But the religious elites, who rejected John, did not. 

In their very public offices, they said “yes” to God, but in their actions, they said “no.”

Jesus says that the sinners who changed their ways would enter the kingdom of Heaven “before” the religious leaders who were questioning Him.

Why did He say ' before you'?

A religious leader should not think that he alone will go to Heaven; when he goes there he will see  whom he thought sinners also there.

'Before' does not refer to time; it is used to stress the point that repenting sinners are  more pleasing to God than the just.

In the parable of the Shepherd and the lost sheep Jesus says that the Shepherd leaves the 99 sheep where they are and goes in search of the lost sheep.

"in heaven; there will be 'more rejoicing' over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine souls that are justified, and have no need of repentance." (Luke.15:7)

Jesus came to the world in search of sinners.

"I have come to call sinners to repentance."(Luke.5:32)

There is good news here, even in His stinging rebuke. 

Those who stray far from the Father’s will can always return. 

It is never too late to repent.

Let us not lose heart if we are sinners.

Let us repent and return to Jesus.

Lourdu Selvam