Responsibility

Good Day to everyone! It’s a happy Day, Sunday, The Lord’s Day, commemorating the great Easter Sunday!
Our theme for today’s readings is: Responsibility.
Here is our first reading from the prophet Ezekiel:
“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it not, it is your ways that are unjust. If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die. (Ez 18:25-28)
The righteous person who turns from their righteousness and become sinful will die because:
1. They are not faithful.
2. Their initial righteousness may just be on the surface. It is not rooted on truth and conviction.
And here is our Gospel for today:
The Parable of the Two Sons
“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
“I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.” (Mt21:28-32).
I remember, maybe around twenty years ago, when Gawad Calinga, the poverty housing project of Tony Meloto, was just getting its popularity. The movement was targeting 700 thousand houses in seven years. There was a resolution in congress, signed by hundreds of congressmen, promising to allocate a certain percentage of their pork barrel funds to the project. Everybody was happy because the target of 700 thousand houses for the poor will soon be a reality. Years later I learned those did not materialize because most of those who signed the resolution did not abide by their promise, only a few did.
That is why The Lord’s heart is more towards the humble, the poor in spirit people, those who are truly sorry for their sins. They do not announce their righteous deeds on the roof top.
When we promise something, when we said yes, we have to feel responsible for that promise.
1. When a man promise in marriage to take care of his family, that is a responsibility.
2. When a person put up a business, he should not only think of his family, but also the family of his employees. He should remember that they are love by The Lord as much as he is.
3. When a person signs a contract to work for a company, he should not think only of his needs, but also help the company be successful. He should also remember that his co-employees also has more or less the same needs as his.
4. When a teacher accepts his or her assignment to teach a class, he or she must be conscious of the big responsibility.
Sense of responsibility is an awareness of once obligations. We should pray to The Lord to let The Holy Spirit help us improve our sense of responsibility.