September 24^th 2017. Twenty Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time

GOSPEL: Matthew 20, 1-16

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Translated from a homily by Don Fabio Rosini, broadcast on Vatican Radio

Don Fabio’s reflection follows the Gospel reading ...

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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 labourers for his vineyard. 
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard. 
Going out about nine o'clock,
the landowner 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,
the landowner 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 labourers 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."

The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

Kieran’s summary . . . In the first reading from Isaiah we hear that the Lord’s ways are not our ways. And this becomes all the more apparent once we read the Gospel! A landowner hires labourers at different times of the same working day; some at dawn, others at various hours of the morning and afternoon, and still others just before sunset. But he then pays all of them the same salary! How unfair this seems to us! Do we tend to think the same with regard to salvation? Do we envy those who live life doing what they please and then make a last minute conversion? Great saints spend all of their lives in good works and sacrifice, but the sinner who has an easy life still gets to heaven if he changes his ways in his last hour. Do we resent this sinner? If so, then there is something wrong with our thinking. Do we really think that a life of sin is more enjoyable than a life lived in the service of God? The pleasures that come from sin are fleeting and transient. They become bitter very soon, for, as St Paul says, the wages of sin are death. But the joy of a life lived in the service of the Father is something more profound and authentic. It can never be taken away from us. Why do we persist in thinking that a life of sin is in some way more exciting or fun than a life of grace? On a purely human level, to be without a job is a difficult and painful situation. If we were to ask an unemployed person if they preferred to work all day for a fair wage as opposed to being paid the same wage for not working, then we can be sure that most people would prefer to have the dignity of work. And this is even more true when it comes to working in the Father’s vineyard. The labourers who work only the last hour spend all day hanging around wasting time. But the ones who work from dawn have the joy and privilege of cooperating with the creative work of the Father. How much better it is to work for the Lord from the beginning, rather than just the last hour! If we think that doing God’s work is a chore or an obligation, then we will naturally envy those who do no work but still receive God’s prize. May our hearts be enlightened with grace so that we can appreciate the joy of sharing in the creative work of the Father.

Due to pressures of work, your translator has been unable to provide a full translation of the homily this week. Normal service to resume next week!