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.”
Lectio (Reading)
Read the passage twice and get a sense of what it is saying. Pay attention to what strikes you.Meditatio (Reflecting)
Slowly read the passage again, pausing on words or phrases that stands out. Take time to consider the meaning. particularly in your life.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?’
Oratio (Responding)
Read the passage again, slowly. Consider how God has spoken to you and respond back to Him. You may want to consider how this passage is asking you to act differently.This reading always used to irritate me, because it sounds so much like communism. But in truth it is nothing of the sort. There are a couple ways to analyze this reading. On one level this is actually the quintessence of captitalism. Proof for that is beacuse he says “am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?” No one is being forced here, the workers agreed ahead of time for the daily wage (one denarius), and worked freely. The landowner, is giving according to his own will and thus cannot be faulted for being generous. I do, however, think that it is really unwisw for the owner of the vineyard to do this, because tomorrow he will not be able to find a single worker in the area that is going to be willing to work for the whole day. They are all going to show up and 5 and want to work for only an hour. So it is not a wise business practice, but God is not in the business of making money, but of saving souls.
So, that bring us to the other way of looking at this reading. It is about our eternities in heaven or hell. There are many church fathers that have said that the vineyard in this analogy is the new Israel, the coming kingdom of heaven. And many of these church fathers have said that the “daily wage” in Gods kingdom is simply the reward of being in the Father’s vineyard. So from the point of view of God, it makes perfect sense that He wants to gather as many souls into His vineyard with Him as he can. He cares not about our view of justice…, or how or when those souls get there, only that they actually get there. Gods ways are not our ways, and God’s justice, is not our justice.
So who do the various workers represent? The first wave of workers are those that have always been with the Lord, like the prodigal son’s older brother. These are the Jews of the old covenant, and the faithful that have always believed, and always worked in the Fathers vineyard. They are envious, not because they want something more, for there is nothing more that they can receive that is greater than being in the Lords vineyard, instead they want those less faithful that arrived late to have something less. That is, sadly, the definition of envy. Instead of being joyous that more souls are in the vineyard, they are envious because they did not earn it they way they did. And thus this is the only distinction that will be seen in heaven and hell. The ranks of all souls that die, will only be measured by one thing, how much they love God, and how much they allow God to love them. Your suffering in hell, or your separation from God in heaven will be 100% your choice. Based on your degree of rejection or acceptance of God into your life.
This is God’s economics. It does not make sense to our human, earthly, minds. Some people work their whole lives, striving to stay close to the chruch and the sacraments, and other people live their whole lives in a state of debauchery and on their death bed they convert, and get confession. But both of these types of people get the same reward. How is that fair? well I argue that fairness has nothing to do with it… It is about eternity. Our 70-80 years on this planet are nothing compared to eternity in either heaven or hell. Every single human being that has ever been born is a beloved son or daughter of God, and God wants each and every one of them in heaven with Him for all eternity. So if they show up to work one hour before the end, then they are as welcome as anyone.
All of the lost souls of this world are like the prodigal son, out wandering in the wilderness, and the father is looking to the horizon for their return. If they do come back, he does no care if they are early or late, only that they have returned. And yes that means that the Father in heaven is looking to the horizon for your return too. will you run to Him? Your eternity depends on it.
Contemplatio (Contemplating)
Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.Resolutio (Resolving)
Make a resolution that will improve your life, your relationships, or your faith. Make it small and attainable, and do it.Oh lord help me to day to put you first above all things, and to choose you over the things of this world, and finally help me to become worthy of your love and devotion, so that i can be with you in heaven forever.