"What do you think?" Jesus began, addressing those around Him. "A man had two sons; going to the first, he commanded him: 'Son, go and work today in my vineyard.' But he answered: 'I will not.' However, he afterwards repented and went. He said the same to the second. And he replied: 'I will go, sir'; but he did not go. Jesus asked which of the two did the father's will. And they all answered: 'The first, the one who actually went to work in the vineyard.' And Jesus continued: 'Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going to enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; whereas the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him.'"
The Baptist had pointed out the path of salvation, and the scribes and Pharisees, who boasted of being faithful fulfillers of the divine will, paid no attention to him. They were represented by the son who says "I go," but in fact does not go. In theory, they were the keepers of the Law, but when the moment of truth arrived, when the will of God reached their ears through John, they did not fulfill it; they failed to be docile to the divine will. On the other hand, many tax collectors and sinners heeded his call to penance and repented: they are represented in the parable by the son who initially said "I will not go," but in reality went to work in the vineyard. He obeyed; he pleased his father through his actions.
The Lord Himself gave us an example of how we are to carry out that divine will, which manifests itself to us in such diverse ways, "for in fulfillment of the Father's will, He inaugurated the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, revealed its mystery to us, and accomplished redemption through obedience." Saint Paul, in the Second Reading of the Mass, highlights Jesus Christ's love for this virtue: being God, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient unto death, even death on a cross. In those times, death on a cross was the most shameful, reserved for the worst criminals. Hence, the ultimate expression of His love for the Father's saving plans consisted in obeying unto death, even death on a cross.
Christ obeys out of love; that is the meaning of Christian obedience: the obedience owed to God, the obedience we must render to the Church, to parents, to superiors, and which in one way or another governs professional and social life. God does not want reluctant servants, but children who desire to fulfill His will with joy, who obey. Saint Teresa relates that one day, while considering the great penance performed by a good woman she knew, she felt a holy envy, thinking that she too could do it were it not for the express command she had received from her confessor. She so wished to emulate that penitent woman that she wondered if it would be better not to obey her confessor in this counsel. Then Jesus said to her: "Not that, my daughter; you are on a good and secure path. Do you see all the penance she does? I value your obedience more."
HCD