Matthew
20:1-16
Jesus
said: "God's kingdom is like an estate manager who went out early in the
morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 They agreed on a wage of a dollar a
day, and went to work. 3" Later, about nine o'clock, the manager saw some
other men hanging around the town square unemployed. 4 He told them to go to
work in his vineyard and he would pay them a fair wage. 5 They went. "He
did the same thing at noon, and again at three o'clock. 6 At five o'clock he
went back and found still others standing around. He said, 'Why are you
standing around all day doing nothing? 7' "They said, 'Because no one
hired us.' "He told them to go to work in his vineyard. 8" When the
day's work was over, the owner of the vineyard instructed his foreman, 'Call
the workers in and pay them their wages. Start with the last hired and go on to
the first.' 9 "Those hired at five o'clock came up and were each given a
dollar. 10 When those who were hired first saw that, they assumed they would
get far more. But they got the same, each of them one dollar. 11 Taking the
dollar, they groused angrily to the manager, 12 'These last workers put in only
one easy hour, and you just made them equal to us, who slaved all day under a
scorching sun.' 13" He replied to the one speaking for the rest, 'Friend,
I haven't been unfair. We agreed on the wage of a dollar, didn't we? 14 So take
it and go. I decided to give to the one who came last the same as you. 15 Can't
I do what I want with my own money? Are you going to get stingy because I am
generous?' 16 "Here it is again, the Great Reversal: many of the first
ending up last, and the last first."
Food
for thought!
Today's
gospel reading is puzzling in many ways. It shows us clearly that God's
ways are not our ways. As Isaiah tells us, the Heavens are as high above earth
as God's ways are above our ways; God's thoughts are simply not our thoughts
(55:9). Why would the Master not pay the workers according to the work done?
Why did the farm owner not take into consideration the volume of work done or
the scorching sun? What is it that Jesus is teaching us this time? Many things.
Jesus
is teaching us about God. He is saying that God loves and cares for all of us.
God doesn't want to see us idle, unemployed and unproductive. He pays us not
according to what we have done, but according to what he has done; not
according to what we are but according to what he is. This is why, I believe,
at the last day there will be surprises. One surprise will be to see rewarded
all the people we thought not to deserve the reward; people we despised for
their life and living. The other surprise will be not to see as rewarded the
people we thought were reward-able. In the end, we shall all be saved by
God's grace and not by our works. "God saved you through faith as an
act of kindness. You had nothing to do with it. Being saved is a gift from
God." (Eph. 2:8)
Jesus
is teaching us about the generosity of God. The workers did not all do the
same work; but they all did receive the same pay. There are two great lessons
here. The first is, as it has been said, "All service ranks the same with
God." A priest will not get more than a faithful married couple or a
single man or woman. And the married couples will not get more than the bishop.
They'll all get heaven. It is not the amount or kind of service done, but the
love in which it is done which matters. That is why we all must do what we do
with love and love what we do.
Here
is the golden rules which will help you: “Loving what you do is Happiness Doing
what you love is freedom” So, If you don’t have freedom to do whatever you
want, then at least try to love whatever your are doing. While you wait
for that perfect life, perfect living and perfect job, which you are dreaming
for, don’t feel dissatisfied with the current situation. Accept the situation
with patience. Set your eyes high on your goals and get solace from the fact
that you are trying your best to achieve your dream. Meanwhile accept your
situation. Be in harmony with your surroundings. Maintain peaceful relationship
with your family, with your work and with your life.
Jesus
is also teaching us about work and workers. As St. Paul advised us: "whatever
you do, do everything for God's glory" (1Cor 10:31). It means that
a Christian works not just for money but for the Lord. Money is
additional, not principal. That is why the first will be last and the last will
be first. Don't work just for money, that's too little; see your work, your
profession, your job as a service to the Lord and to the Lord's people. And if
and when you do it passionately well, you will additionally get money. Lots of
money.
Remember
these words of Jesus everyday as you go to your work or as you work: "I
tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers
and sisters, you were doing it to me!" (Mt 25:40)
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