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:
How does the mind of God thinks? It definitely think not like our minds,
it definitely decides not based on how we decide. There are times that God’s
decisions are not according how we would like it to be. Nevertheless, we simply
have to follow and obey no matter how much we disagree with God.
In the gospel, the workers who worked much earlier were complaining to
the landowner (God) because they have the same wage as with those who worked
late in the afternoon. Why did they complain to the landowner?
They complained because they thought that there seem to be an injustice
on how the landowner paid them. But there was no injustice because everyone of
them agreed to receive the usual daily wage. Therefore there was no injustice,
it so happen that God was generous to everyone of them.
There may be events in our lives that we may be tempted to question
the wisdom of God and His decisions. But who are we to question the wisdom of
God? Who are we to complain before God?
Instead of questioning, why not simply obey? Why not always humble
ourselves before God and continue to trust in His infinite wisdom? – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
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