Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 27, 2020 – Ezekiel 18:25-28; Philippians 2:1-11; Matthew 21:28-32

A couple of days ago at dialysis, I was channel surfing and I came upon a Charlie Brown movie. I haven’t seen a Charlie Brown movie in ages. But this one was about Charlie Brown and the little red-headed girl. If you followed the Peanuts comic strip, you know that, for years now Charlie Brown has had a crush on the little red-headed girl and he never gets to speak to her, he cannot get up enough courage. But this time, one of his teachers intervenes. On the last day of school she assigns all the children a pen pal for the summer. And, as luck would have it, Charlie Brown is paired with the little red-headed girl, and he is terrified. Finally, at the last minute, as she’s about to get on the bus to go away to summer camp, he gets up the courage to ask her one simple question. Why would she write to him? He’s such a loser. And he takes a long time describing all of his faults and failings and foibles. And she answers him by saying she doesn’t think he’s that way at all. And she lists all the good qualities he has. His patience, his ability to forgive his friends when they tease him, his constantly trying to do better.  And, as his eyes widen in appreciation, the doors close on the little red-headed girl. Keep that in mind, we’re going to talk about it more later on. But first I want to do something else.
 

• “On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.” Many of you will recognize that as the Scout Oath.

 

• “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

 

• “Do you reject Satan?  I do. And all his works? I do. And all his empty promises?  I do.”

 

• "I do solemnly swear or affirm that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me under the constitution and laws of the United States. So help me God." That’s the oath taken by each Supreme Court justice when they are installed.

 

• “On my honor, I will never betray my integrity, my character, or the public trust. I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions. I will always uphold the constitution, my community, and the agency I serve.” That’s the oath taken by most law enforcement personnel throughout the country. It sounds very much like the oath taken by all service people as they enter their branch of the military.

 

• "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?  I do.”

 

• "I take you as my lawful spouse, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death parts us."

These are just some of the oaths that people take during their lives. In the play and movie, A Man For All Seasons, Robert Bolt has St. Thomas Moore say this. He’s talking to his daughter, Meg, trying to explain to her what an oath is, and he says, “When a person takes an oath, he holds himself in the palm of his hands, like water. If he should open his fingers then, he may never hope to find himself again.”

All oaths are covenants between the person making the oath and the person that the oath is made to. And all of our readings today are about covenants. The first one tells us what happens when a covenant is broken. When a covenant is broken, bad things happen, says Ezekiel. But the next two readings are about the little red-headed girl and Charlie Brown.

St. Paul tells us what happens when a covenant is kept. He uses words like this – encouragement, solace, community, compassion, mercy, joy, unity in heart, unity in mind, nothing out of vanity, glory or selfishness, but out of humility. That’s what happens when covenants are kept.

The Gospel has a different take on it. It may be true, according to Jesus, that when a covenant is broken, all the king’s horses and all the king’s men probably can’t put it back together again.  But on the other hand, when a covenant is being kept, a covenant can be a flexible thing, growing as the person grows, leaving room for possible failure, regret, repentance, and renewal. And picking up the pieces where you left off.

Think of ourselves as Charlie Brown. We are wishy one day, and washy the next. Think of the little red-headed girl as God.