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Gospel Reflection for Friday, March 20, 2025
Jesus addresses this parable to the chief priests and the elders of the Jewish people. The problem was that they saw themselves, in a way, as the owners of religion. They were the specialists who knew how to relate to God, the laws to obey, the rules and protocols to follow to stay on good terms with Him and be a good Jew. And, consequently, to ensure their salvation. This was a serious problem. Because everyone had to go through their hoops. Even God Himself seemed constrained by their rules. They were the ones in charge.
As a result, Jesus was an enemy in their eyes—someone who had strayed from the authorized paths, someone who acted freely. It’s no wonder Jesus ended up the way He did. He was attacking their monopoly, their sense of security.
The first thing Jesus makes clear to them by telling this parable is that they are not the owners of the Jewish religion. God is the owner. And He is a generous and open-handed owner. He is a God of unconditional love. This is what Jesus proclaims. The Kingdom is open to everyone. As Jesus Himself said: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Luke 5:32).
No matter how much the chief priests and elders tried to set barriers and limits for God, He has bypassed them all in Jesus. The Kingdom is open to Jews and Gentiles, men and women, slaves and free. The Kingdom welcomes everyone, its doors are open to all, especially to those who suffer the most for any reason.
Today, we are the bearers and proclaimers of the Kingdom. It’s not for us to set limits or conditions. Our Church must be open to everyone. Of course, that includes sinners (though it’s worth recognizing that it’s really difficult to determine if our brother or sister is a sinner; that’s up to each person’s conscience, their innermost self—and God, who is pure understanding, knows what’s inside each one). Because God doesn’t want any of His children to be left out of His Fatherly embrace or excluded from the shared table of the Kingdom.