Monopoly. It’s a classic and certainly one of the most popular board games of all time. Even if you’ve never played, I’m sure you know the gist of it – end up with the most money and be the last one standing by knocking everyone else out of the game. Simple. And fun.

But imagine this for a moment. You are playing one night, doing ok… and then at one point, the host decides to change the rules of the game and declares that you’ve got it all wrong. That in reality your objective is to lose as much money as you can and to be the first one out. I bet you’d be surprised, shocked even. You’d say to yourself: What kind of a game is this? This is no fun!

In Jesus’ parable from today’s Gospel, we hear about two sons who are asked by their father to go work in the vineyard. One of them pays good lip service, says all the right things, gives every indication of sincerity… but then ultimately disappoints. The other tells his dad to pound sand but then eventually comes around and does the right thing. Makes you wonder if Jesus is pointing a finger at you and me and asking: are you like one of these two?

In other words, do we say and do all the right things, with great fanfare and fuss even… but then, in the end, can’t be counted on to actually help in God’s vineyard? Or are we begrudging, doubtful, imperfect works-in-progress who… eventually do the right thing? 

Jesus was one to point fingers… uncomfortably so sometimes… saying that the tax collectors and prostitutes, in other words, the lowest of the low in their society, would gain an elevated position and access to redemption… even more so than those who were listening to Jesus. The people who heard this story must have been surprised, shocked even. Jesus was changing the rules of the game.

Truth be told, I myself can relate more to the rules of real world Monopoly than I can sometimes to the rules Jesus gave us. In my Monopoly life, I acquire, I seek, I dream, I pursue the American Dream, I build up, I desire comfort, safety, predictability, and hope for the flattest, easiest path I can possibly find.

But Jesus did change the rules of the game. He said that the first will be last and vice versa. That the lowliest will be raised up while those who succeed in the game of life will have at tougher time of it down the line. Today’s second reading makes one thing very clear: Jesus played by these same rules himself, lowering himself to the form of a slave. The divine being, creator, teacher, master, savior… took on the form of a slave.

I don’t know about you, but this all makes me a little uncomfortable. But then again, it’s supposed to. It’s supposed to make me pause and think. It’s supposed to help me see things differently and to do everything I can to make sure I’m not the one in today’s parable who pays lip service, says all the right things, gives every indication of sincerity with a great deal of fanfare and fuss… but then who ultimately disappoints. I’d rather be the one who tries, in all of my begrudging imperfection, the faulty work-in-progress that I am, and eventually does the right thing. I’d rather be that son.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus holds a mirror up to our faces and asks us to consider what we see, who we truly are, and to give some thought to which rules of the game we’re actually playing… ours or his.