My sheep listen to my voice, / they listen to my voice; / I know, then, my sheep, / who follow me, with me walking!

First Reading: Ezekiel 18,25-28

Reading of Ezekiel's prophecy – Thus says the Lord: 25“You are saying: ‘The Lord’s conduct is not right’. Hear, you of the house of Israel: is it my conduct that is not right, or rather is it your conduct that is not right? 26When a righteous person strays from justice, does evil and dies, it is because of the evil he has done that he dies. 27When a wicked man repents of the evil he has done and observes law and justice, he keeps his life. 28Repenting of all his sins, he will surely live; he will not die”. - Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm: 24(25)

Remember, Lord my God, your tenderness and compassion!

1. Show me, O Lord, your ways / and make your path known to me! / Your truth guides me and leads me, † because you are the God of my salvation; / in you I hope, O Lord, every day! – R.

2. Remember, Lord my God, your tenderness / and your compassion, which are eternal! / Do not remember my sins when I was young / nor remember my faults and crimes! / Remember me, because you are mercy / and you are boundless goodness, O Lord! – R.

3. The Lord is mercy and righteousness / and leads sinners back to the right path. / He leads the humble in righteousness / and he teaches the poor his way. – R.

Second Reading: Philippians 2:1-11 or 1-5

[The short form is in brackets.]

Reading of Saint Paul's letter to the Philippians - [Brothers, 1if there is consolation in life in Christ, if there is encouragement in mutual love, if there is communion in the Spirit, if there is tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete: aspire to the same thing , united in the same love; live in harmony, seeking unity. 3Do nothing out of competition or vainglory, but, with humility, let each one judge that the other is more important 4and take care not only of what is yours, but also of what belongs to the other. 5Have this mind among yourselves that is in Christ Jesus.] 6Jesus Christ, existing in a divine condition, did not make being equal with God a usurpation, 7but emptied himself, assuming the condition of a slave and becoming equal to the men. Found with human appearance, 8he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9Therefore God exalted him above all and gave him the name that is above every name. 10So at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue should proclaim, “Jesus Christ is Lord,” to the glory of God the Father. – Word of the Lord.

Gospel: Matthew 21,28-32

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

My sheep listen to my voice, / they listen to my voice; / I know, then, my sheep, / who follow me, with me walking! (John 10:27) – R.

Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Matthew – At that time, Jesus said to the priests and elders of the people: 28 “What do you think? A man had two kids. Addressing the first, he said: ‘Son, go work in the vineyard today!’ 29The son replied: ‘I don’t want to’. But then he changed his mind and went. 30The father turned to the other son and said the same thing. He replied: ‘Yes, sir, I will go’. But it was not. 31Which of the two did his father’s will?” The high priests and the elders of the people answered, “The first.” Then Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes go before you into the kingdom of God. 32For John came to you in a way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. Instead, the tax collectors and prostitutes believed in him. But you, even though you saw this, did not repent and believe in him.” – Word of salvation.

Reflection:

The parable directly affects religious leaders, who criticize Jesus' predilection for sinners. In fact, Jesus enters the house of Zacchaeus, head of tax collectors; he lets himself be touched by a prostitute who washes his feet; he defends the adulteress against the “pure” who wanted to stone her. Jesus claims that these marginalized people are closer to salvation than those who consider themselves righteous. These “sinners”, despised by the leaders of the people, were able to listen to John the Baptist, believe in his message and change their lives. While the bosses “didn’t believe him”. It is not enough to show a facade of good people, it is necessary to carry out works of justice. Works in favor of life and freedom. The Kingdom does not belong to those who consider themselves righteous, but to sinners who believe and change their lives.