Signposts On The Way

In yesterday's readings, Jesus tells the tale of two sons: one who refused to go into the vineyard at his father’s request but changed his mind and went, and the other who said he would go but did not. Jesus asks his interrogators: “‘Which of the two did his father’s will?’ They [his interrogators] answered, ‘The first.’”
Of course, the first did his father’s will! He changed his mind.

Einstein once wryly noted: “Everything has changed but our thinking.”

So true, isn’t it?

Back in 1967, a group named The Troggs catapulted into the top 10 with a song entitled “Love is All Around.” About the only lyric people can remember is the line: “My mind's made up by the way that I feel; There's no beginning, there'll be no end.”

Again, so true, isn’t it?

“My mind is made up. I can’t remember when I arrived at this, yet I’m sure I will hold on to it. It’s my truth, and no one – not even you – will change it.” Or “It ain’t busted, why try to fix it?” Or “It works for me. Sorry, it doesn’t work for you. I hope you can work it out.” Or “Why bother? Nothing’s going to change.” Or “I’ve got enough on my plate to be worried about your worries and priorities.” Or “Not my party, not parade, not my problem, Sweet Cheeks (the affectionate way my Mother used to address me).”

But all of this is completely contrary to the spirit of the Master who calls us to metanoia, a Greek word commonly understood to mean conversion when its original meaning is more akin to “change one’s mind.”

We are being asked to “put on the mind and heart of Jesus Christ” to quote the lyric by Carey Landry in the song “Deep Within Us,” released in the 1970s by American Liturgical Resources, which echoes the second reading of yesterday’s liturgy (Phil. 2/1-11). It is to remember that the self-emptying of Christ – his kenosis – was all about doing what the Father wished to achieve the reconciliation of the entire cosmos into the Divine Embrace.

So the question that must be asked is: What change of mind – what metanoia – am I asked to do to cooperate with the Divine Dream?