25TH SUNDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2020,
ISAIAH 55. 6-9; PHILIPPIANS 1. 20C-24; 27A; MATTHEW 20. 1-16A
Focus: As true followers of Christ, we are called to put on a new mind-set, that is, God’s own, in contrast to the world’s mind-set
1. What a difference between God and man! God Himself declares this in the clearest terms: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not your ways, says Yahweh. For as the heavens are above the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts” (Is 55. 8-9).
2. The Parable of the workers in vineyard (Mt 20. 1-16) clearly illustrates this contrast between the divine mind-set and the worldly mind-set. God’s mind- set is reflected in the mind-set of the owner: he pays all the workers in his vineyard, equally, with a denarius each (vv. 9-11), irrespective of the differences in their arrival time and duration of their work – some, early in the morning (v. 1), some, at nine (v. 3), some, at midday (v. 4), some, at three in the noon (v. 4), and some others, at the last hour (v. 6).
3. Obviously it would be blamed as an unreasonable act of injustice, because how can those who worked so long and hard through the day, and those who hardly worked toward the end, be put on the same plane and be treated equally? This is the typical ordinary human mentality, represented by the early workers: they begin to grumble against the landowner. They said: ‘These last hardly worked an hour, yet you have treated them the same as us who have endured the day’s burden and heat’ “(vv. 10-12).
4. In fact, this will be the perspective and way of thinking and arguing of most of us. And this looks perfectly reasonable and valid. But in truth, this is only selfishness in disguise and a shallow justice, because they are bothered only about their right and gain and not the need and good of others. Often fighting for self-interests and individual gains, gets tagged as justice issues. One fails to be sensitive to sense and serve the needs of others.
5. Absolutely the landowner has not been unjust to anybody (v. 13: “Friend, I have not been unjust to you. Did we not agree on a denarius a day? So take what is yours and go.”). His generosity is his freedom (v. 14-15: “I want to give to the last as I give to you. Don’t I have the right to do as I please with my money?). The problem is not his generosity but the jealousy of others (v. 15: “Why are you envious when I am kind?).
6. This is the typical human mentality. Human jealousy often puts brakes on the duty of charity, and also on God’s own generosity. Often the generosity shown to others and their subsequent wellbeing and progress, is very much resented. It is not because some injustice is done to us, or we are deprived of our due. It is only because of a self-oriented growth and happiness, which cannot rejoice over the good of others.
7. Plainly speaking, what injustice is done to the earlier workers in the gospel, when the owner gives equally to the last ones as well? The landowner was not unconcerned of the hard work of the earlier workers. He was just towards them. But he was concerned about the need of the last workers. His calculation is not in terms of an ordinary proportion between one’s work and the payment; rather in terms of divine proportion between need and payment.
8. God thinks of the need, and not the merit of the person. His mercy and generosity go beyond what man deserves. This is the free and abundant benevolence of God, which cannot be conditioned by the human factors. And no one can claim grace and salvation on the merit of his efforts and capacities. Grace is not an acquisition, but is God’s gift. In the light of this parable, a disciple is then called to put on the mind of God, and grow more in the spirit of humility, surrender, fraternal sensitivity and generosity.
Direction: Jealousy is destructive, both of the self and of others, while generosity is constructive. The more we think of our duties and not rights, the more we feel concerned about what others need rather than what is our due, there is true justice and charity, and that is the new mind-set, of God himself
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