Changing Your Mind

Have you ever told God “no,” even if you never actually said the word? Maybe you knew there was something you needed to change, someone you needed to forgive, or a step you needed to take, but you resisted. Perhaps it felt too difficult, or you simply were not ready. Next Sunday’s readings remind us that God does not give up on us in those moments, but leaves room for us to change our hearts and find our way back.

That is what makes the first son in next Sunday’s Gospel (Mt 21:28-32) so relatable. When his father asks him to work in the vineyard, his first answer is no. But something happens afterward. He changes his mind, gets up, and goes. Jesus points to him as the one who ultimately did the father’s will. His first response was not the end of the story. Neither are our worst moments, our poor decisions, or the times we have turned away from God.

But changing direction requires humility. In the second reading (Phil 2:1-11), Saint Paul tells us to have the same attitude as Christ, who humbled himself and became obedient to the Father. Sometimes the greatest obstacle between us and God is our desire to hold tightly to our own way. We may need to admit that we were wrong, let go of an old resentment, reconsider a judgment we have carried for years, or finally listen to something God has been quietly placing on our hearts.

Perhaps today God is simply asking us to listen again. The psalm (Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9) gives us this prayer: “Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths.” We do not have to pretend that we have always gotten it right. God’s mercy is always prepared to give us another chance. We may have said no yesterday, but today we can get up and walk into the vineyard. Sometimes the sincerest “yes” we give God is not spoken at all. It is lived.

Faith Sharing Questions:

1.Paul asks us to have the same attitude as Christ Jesus. What quality of Jesus would you most like to grow in?

2.Jesus challenges religious people who believed they were already doing God’s will. How can we guard against becoming too comfortable or self-assured in our own faith?

3.Who has helped you recognize God’s path at an important time in your life?