Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16
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 sometimes think that God is not treating you fairly? For example,
you are faithful to Him, you follow the commandments and you always try to do
your best to do good. But you still encounter trials and problems in your life.
The ways of God are unfathomable there are times that HIS decisions
are hard for us to comprehend. But that’s how God is; HE does not think the way
we think. HE doesn’t decide the way we decide. God is infinite and we are
simply finite beings of this world.
We will not be able to comprehend the ways of God no matter how hard
we try to comprehend it, we will not. But come to think of it, who are we to
question God’s decisions and infinite goodness?
We are mere mortals with a very limited shelf life in this world. Instead of
questioning the mysterious ways of God in our lives, why not simply work
hard, be a good and faithful follower and trust HIM our lives no matter what
may befall us?
In the gospel Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a landowner who
invited workers to work in his vineyard. Many were invited to work at different
hours during that day. Some were invited presumably at 8 in the morning, some
during 9 in the morning. And then the last group of workers that were invited
was during 5 pm the last hour of work already.
When evening came every worker was summoned to receive their wages for
their day’s work. The first batch that received their wages were those who came
at 5 pm the last hour of work and to their surprise they received the full wage
for the day.
Therefore those who reported to work the first hour of the morning were
expecting a bigger wage. But to their disappointment they received the same
wage with those who worked at 5 pm. So, they complained to the landowner for
what they perceived to be an injustice that was done to them. However, the
landowner told them that there was no injustice and cheating on the wages that
was paid because they agreed to be paid with that amount from the outset.
There may be times that we may feel that God is not treating us fairly. For the reason of the many challenges and trials that we face in our lives. But
that feeling is wrong because God is always good and fair to us. It is rather
us who fail to discern the goodness, wisdom and infinite mercy and generosity
of God. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
