WHO  SAID, “YOU  CAN’T 

CHANGE  YOUR  MIND”? 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 3^rd Tuesday in Advent is, “Who Said, ‘You Can’t Change Your Mind’”?

Sometimes people get mad at others – when they change their mind about  something. Their memory is like a video or recording device and they dig up a comment the other person made years ago. They blurt out a comment, “Wait a minute, 5 years ago you said just the opposite.”

Who said, “We can’t change our mind”?

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Today’s gospel – Matthew 21: 28-32 - tells the story of 2 sons – both of whom change their minds.

One said “No” to his father – but then changed his mind and said “Yes” in his mind and did what his father asked him to do in the first place.

The other said “Yes” to his father’s request – and then did “no” with his feet – walking away from his “mouth” yes.

Change: it happens.

LET’S GO TO THE VIDEO TAPE

Werner Wolf – a TV sports guy here in Maryland and then New York and then the nation used to have a one liner: “Let’s go to the video tape?”

He was doing what coaches and teams were doing all the time.

“Let’s go to the video tape?”

When I take my afternoon walk through the Naval Academy I notice near the sports field these guys with video cameras up on portable towers filming the practices. Then I’m sure that coaches and staff study the film and then point out to players – moves that help – and moves that don’t.

I was once doing a baptism of a grandnephew. During the ceremony with the whole family watching,  I dropped the book into the baptismal font. Everyone laughed. I didn’t. Then when we got back to my niece’s house, one of the older kids invited everyone to the big tv for the showing of the baptism. When we came to the moment of the humble of the ceremony book into the water, this kid says, “Let’s go to the video tape?” And they showed it over and over and over again.

I assume everyone who knows us has a whole library of video tapes that they play over and over again – especially of our bad stuff – how we pick on so and so – and how we are always so nice to so and so.

I was on a high school retreat with some of our seniors last week.  High school kids often are giving replays of their teachers mannerisms, quirks, behaviors, favorites, etc., etc., etc.

Just listen. Just watch.

I’m sure when you come to church – you see scenes – you’ve seen before – over and over again. I’m sure you hear sermons or   examples you’ve heard before.

As Yogi Berra put it over and over again: “Life is one big déjà vu over and over again.

CHANGE

A key New Testament word is “metanoia”. It’s in today’s gospel – and it’s often translated “repentence”.

Various scholars say that’s a horrible translation.

Then they add that the word “repentence  means a lot more than that. It means for starters “a change of mind.”

Then a change of behavior – for the better – that comes from a change of mind.

I would assume that change is a difficult process.

It starts with seeing – Let’s go to the video tape – and then seeing how what we say and do impacts others – and then we see options – other ways of seeing and doing life – then choosing the more loving behavior and then to do it and then seeing how others react for the better because we’re nicer, more giving, more understanding, more loving.

CONCLUSION

So today's gospel story of the son who said, "No!" and then did "Yes" can be our story as well. Amen.