our past does not define our future - 26th Sunday A 2017

In philosophy we say God is immutable, God is unchanging – God is the same yesterday, today and forever. If God is unchanging, does God change his mind about us?  The question is something controversial.  It follows up a theme of the book of the prophet Jonah.  God wanted to punish Niniveh and sent the reluctant Jonah to the city.  But the unexpected happened.  Niniveh changed, Niniveh repented, and when it did, God also changed his mind about Niniveh.  Jonah however was frustrated.  He wanted God to be unyielding to Niniveh, he wanted God to be unchanging in his word to punish Niniveh.  Our first reading today, follows the same line – does God change his mind about us when we change?

Two points from our readings today. 

First, Is it ok to change?  Do I have the right to change my mind?  Am I still right if I change my mind? 

The two sons in the parable taught by Jesus changed their minds.  The younger son promised his father that he would help him out in the fields but in a little while changed his mind and did not show up.  The elder son in contrast said no to the father but in a little while, probably after some reflection, changed his mind and did show up for work.

What if the elder son said to himself, “well actually I still have enough time to help out my father in the fields but since I said no to him already I better stick up to my word and be true to what I said.” What if the elder son really stuck it out with his no and never entertained the possibility of considering the opposite of what he said?  What do you think would have happened?

But many times in our lives these things do happen.  We remain unmoved.  We become unyielding.  We could not adjust.  We could not backtrack on our word.  We remain firm, a firmness that is actually unbending and even obstinate.

Yes we have principles to hold on to and to stand up for, but do we have to be so obdurate as to be unmoved and uncompromising?  Many times relationships are torn apart because we love our principles more than people.  Many times people unnecessarily suffer because we have to appear tough and hard at all times.  Many times we forget compassion and mercy in our desire to be consistent and unyielding.  Many times we alienate people not just from ourselves but even from God because we are lacking in consideration and sympathy.

Yes, many times in our lives we have to change our minds, we have to give in to the feelings of our hearts, we have to admit error, we have to take back our words, we have to admit defeat, and most often we have to learn to say, "I didn’t really mean what I said about you."

Second point. The gospel is telling us the many possibilities of hope in every person.  And there is always hope because there is always a possibility for change lurking in each one’s heart. Hope means that a person who turned his back from the church and from his faith may yet change his mind.  Hope means that our past does not have to define our future.  Hope means that our present does not necessarily become our destiny, because hope means the future is open and it is full of surprises and possibilities.

  Years ago, in the cathedral parish back home, a retired policeman came to me and told me about his past – he was trembling and in tears, so troubled, he wanted to make it up with God.  Father, he said, I want to show God that I am a changed man, can you give me a chance?  It so happened that we have a seminar for communion ministers and I asked him to attend.  He was at first hesitant because he knew people who know him may not like him there.  But then he agreed and true enough people talked behind his back, people would change lines whenever they see him distributing holy communion in front, people would cancel communion for the sick in their homes when he is the one giving.  He suffered all that silently.  But eventually even these people changed the way they looked at him when they saw his sincerity and faithfulness to his duties.  
Three years ago having been bedridden by a stroke, he called his wife over and asked what day it was.  She said, Saturday, the last Saturday of the month.  And he said to her, please prepare my shoes I have a meeting at the cathedral.  He wanted to report for the meeting.  But then he was too sick to do that.  Actually he had been too sick for quite some time already.  In fact a day later he died.

Hope means that our past does not have to define our future.  Hope means that our present does not necessarily become our destiny.  Hope means the future is open and is full of surprises - only if we allow people to change. I believe this is one unchanging quality about God – God has so much hope for us he allows us, he has the patience to allow us, to change.