Pastor Ramon Bolatete of St. Faustina Catholic Church in Clermont recently urged his parishioners to be selfless rather than selfish.

In the church's Sept. 27 bulletin, Bolatete mentioned a parable where Jesus asks chief priests and elders which of two sons did his father's will when one answered he would not go to work and then did, while the other said he would go to work but then did not. The chief priests and elders answered that the son who said he wouldn't go but then did was the one who did his father's will.

"Speaking to the chief priests and elders of the people, Jesus says to them, 'Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you,'" Bolatete said in the bulletin, "These words are meant to get their attention, obviously, for as religious leaders, they would have seen themselves as both morally and socially superior to tax collectors and prostitutes."

Bolatete noted that Jesus' words also point to something Ezekiel said in a message from God, stating that when someone who is virtuous turns away from virtue to commit immoral behavior, he dies; but if he realizes his actions were wicked and turns back, then he will preserve his life.

"Everyone has a choice as to how to act— just like the sons in the parable; just like the chief priests and elders; just like the tax collectors and prostitutes," Bolatete said. "And the interesting thing about these words in Ezekiel is that the Lord is acknowledging not just those who repent and follow God’s way, but also those who 'turn from virtue to sin.'"

Bolatete reflected that what Ezekiel said is a good description for the second son in the parable, as well as the religious leaders. He pointed to Philippians 2:4, which says not to do things out of selfishness or vainglory, but to be humble in regard to others and to consider them more important than yourself.