“Which of the two did his father’s will?” – Matthew 21:31
Two of my favorite saints have feast days in October: St. Therese of Lisieux on October 1 and St. John Henry Cardinal Newman on October 9. Both saints wrote about obedience to God as a path to holiness. Our Gospel reading this Sunday shows an example of faithfulness demonstrated by obedient actions (Matthew 21:28-32). The first son in the parable said he would do his father’s will, but then did not. The second son initially said he would not do the father’s will, but then changed his mind and was obedient. He had a conversion that demonstrated his faith and submission to his father’s authority. He changed his mind and did his father’s will.
Newman taught that faith and obedience to God’s will are the same thing, almost like two sides of a coin: “…to have a habit of faith, and to be obedient, are one and the same general character of mind;—viewed as sitting at Jesus’ feet, it is called faith; viewed as running to do His will, it is called obedience.” He saw this running to carry out God’s will as the way each of us demonstrate our faith in God. For him, deeds of obedience are the “soul…and satisfactory evidence of the reality of our faith.”
Therese wrote that obedience to God’s will is a sure path to becoming holy: “Holiness consists simply in doing God’s will, and being just what God wants us to be.” Thinking about this makes me consider what continual conversion consists of for myself. When I stop being stubborn and stop and pray, asking God to form me into the person He wants me to be and move me from what I think I should be doing toward what He wants me to do for Him, then I am converted. My mind is changed, and I walk closer to the path of holiness He has planned for me.
Lord Jesus, help me conform my mind to Your mind (cf Romans 12:2). Help ease my stubbornness and help me to do Your will instead of my own. St. Therese, Little Flower, pray for us. St. John Henry Newman, pray for us.