Yesterday’s No, Today’s Yes

Father Patrick Longalong suggests that people should not judge others by their initial refusal to help, as an eventual commitment is more important than an immediate promise.

Writing for The Tablet, Longalong shared an experience where a parishioner initially declined a request to help with a parish event due to a scheduling conflict. After checking his calendar, the man realized he was actually free and arrived early to help set up the room, serve guests, and clean up afterward. Longalong noted that other individuals who had enthusiastically agreed to help failed to appear or changed their plans.

Longalong connected this observation to the parable of the two sons, in which one son initially refuses his father's request but later goes to work, while the other agrees verbally but never follows through. He noted that Jesus used this story to address religious leaders who used the correct words but did not perform the required actions.