Reflection for Sunday, September 24; Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Matthew 20:1-16

Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16a

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ So they went off. And he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise.

Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’ When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’  When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage.

So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

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Reflection:

Do you every once in a while question the decision/s of God in your life?

God thinks differently from how we think and God decides not based on how we think. It seems that the landowner which represents the Lord is unfair. This is for the reason that He paid the workers the same amount regardless of the time they’ve labored in his vineyard. Was he really unfair to the other workers who worked for longer hours or he was simply generous?

The landowner was simply generous and fair for he paid everyone based on what they’ve agreed upon.   It did not matter to him who worked early in the day and who worked late in the day. What was important for him was he paid everyone based on what they’ve agreed upon.

We can’t help but compare God’s generosity compared to ours if at all we are generous. If God doesn’t count the cost, we count, and if God is generous we are often times not generous. If we discriminate God doesn’t discriminate whomever we are, what is important for God is we respond to His invitation. 

God doesn’t look at how sinful you are, God doesn’t look at how early and late you respond to His call of repentance. What is important for God is you respond to His call of repentance no matter how late.

Would you respond to God’s call? - Marino J. Dasmarinas