26th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Sep 27-28, 2014)

Now if I were our singing deacon Don Germano, I would begin the homily by singing Frank Sinatra's "I Did It My Way." "And more, much more than this, I did it my way." There is something life-affirming about doing it "my way", charting one's own path, following one's conscience and not compromising one's values along the way.

And yet, when we think about it in the light of today's Scriptures, we are called not to do it my way but to "Do it God's way". Doing it God's way is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Jesus in following the path of the cross chose to do it God's way.

In the second Scripture reading, Paul begins his beautiful hymn to Christ by encouraging the Philippians to have the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose as did Jesus.

"Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus. Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; he humbled himself, becoming obedient even to the point of death, even death on a cross."

For us, even when we lose our way and fall into sin, the mercy of God is on display in the Gospel parable. In the parable, one son says no to the father"s request to work in the vineyard but later changed his mind and his ways. He started out doing it his way but experienced the conversion of changing direction and then did it God's way.

In the Gospel parable, the first son said: "No! I will not". It's too hot out there. Locusts may destroy it tomorrow. The town is a lot more interesting than the vineyard.

What are today's versions of saying no to the will of God in our lives? I can't bother with religion. I'm too busy getting ahead in life. I'm too busy having fun. The Church has too many defects. Or I have nothing against organized religion, but I really don't need it to have a relationship with God.

Later the first son changed his mind, as do many Catholics today. Some reasons: wanting the sacraments for their children; the gentle, respectful influence of another person; increased maturity; a close encounter with death or serious injury; recovery from a serious illness.

I invite you to reflect upon your conversion story and hopefully you can discover God in the changes of your life. What does conversion mean to me? Our first response is not always the best. Thanks be to God, conversion is a lifelong journey.

I have been struck by the words of Mark Twain who once said: "When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years."

Just as Mark Twain had a conversion experience about the wisdom of his dad, so too, we have a conversion experience about the meaning of our discipleship of the Lord Jesus.

The conversion I have experienced as a priest. As a young priest, the illusion I sometimes lived under that everything depended on me and my ability. The older I get I recognize more clearly this is God's work. Everything depends on God's grace working in me and in others.

As we reflect this weekend on our commitment to the diocesan Catholic Ministries Appeal this weekend, does the CMA tie into the Gospel message of conversion or is Father Jim just going to force this situation in asking your support of the CMA?

I would suggest that how we use and share the blessings we have been given is a significant component of our conversion story. Like the sons in the Gospel, are we saying yes or no to God's way in our life. How we use the financial resources we have is a very spiritual question. Jesus is very clear on the Gospel message that we have been given, we have given to share. Love is the first requirement of being a disciple of Jesus. Love is shown in the actions of our life. Are we aware and responsive to the poor and to those who are in need? I have never met a person in my 72 years who regrets being generous in the ways we love one another.

Discipleship is placing Christ first in our lives -- first in regard to finances, relationships, use of our time, and in all other ways. Just as a young child has a hard time learning how to share his toys, so too we as adults can have a hard time sharing from our financial resources.

In the Gospel, Jesus said: "Amen, l say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you". Because the tax collectors and prostitutes accepted the forgiveness Jesus offered them, they were able to change in ways that would have been unthinkable before that. We too will experience conversion as we accept the forgiveness God offers us.

In the Gospel the two sons were told to go out and work in the vineyard today. As you pray over this Gospel, into what vineyard is the Lord sending you today? The vineyard of your family, of your neighborhood, of your parish, the vineyard of supporting the CMA as we respond to the needs of people around us? Into what vineyard Is the Lord sending you to today?