There was an elderly man who was confined to his bed at home. One day a priest came to see him. At the end of the visit the priest said, “I’ll pray for you.” The man looked up from his bed and said, “Father, I can pray for myself. If you want to help me, you can take out the garbage and do the laundry.”

Not too many of us talk to a priest this way or say such words to a well-intentioned person who says they are going to pray for us.

In today’s Gospel (Matt 21:28-32) Jesus tells us about a father who asks his son to go and work in the vineyard. The son says, “I won’t,” but later changes his mind and goes. The father asks his other son to go and work in the vineyard and the son says, “Yes, sir,” but he never goes.

Jesus tells us this parable to teach us that promises can never take the place of performance and fine words are never a substitute for fine deeds.

We are told that this was the last parable Jesus ever taught. It was probably delivered a couple of days before he died. So Jesus was telling it like it is. The first son said NO to his father, but then went out and did what his father wanted. It is a prime example for us sinners who say NO to God, but have a change of heart and then go and do what God is calling us to do.

The second son says YES to the father but does not go and work in the vineyard. Jesus used this second son to refer to the religious authorities of his day who were long on words but short on deeds. It is the deeds we do that really prove who we are.

Justice Oliver Wendel Holmes said that the first part of the newspaper he read each morning was the sports section. He said he wanted to read about people DOING something rather than about politicians promising something.

Walker Percy, the famous novelist joined the Catholic Church because he watched his college roommate get up early every morning and go to mass. His ACTIONS were louder than his words.

When have YOUR actions recently spoken louder than YOUR words?

JESUS IS NOT A PSYCHOLOGIST.  HE IS A CARDIOLOGIST.  JESUS DOES NOT LISTEN TO WORDS.  JESUS LISTENS TO HEARTS!

Please share my Message with a friend or a relative today.