(Mt.20:1-16)
In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives his listeners a new perspective on God’s kingdom and shows them how different are the ways of God from those of men. We live in a world of merits and rewards but the Lord works in a world of grace. We think often that everything that we experience or enjoy is because of our merits but this parable of the landowner reminds us that they are actually gifts from the unbounded generosity of God. Our natural tendency is to grouse and complain against treatments or dealings that appear to be unjust. But such expressions of grouse, complaints and envy have no place in a world that is permeated with generosity and love.
The parable of the landowner would evoke in us first feelings of shock and surprise. How could the landowner be so unjust and uncaring in his approach? How could he pay the same wages to all the laborers equally? There are those who have worked and suffered the heat for the whole length of a day. There are others who worked just an hour. But all are given the same wages. This part of the story would definitely evoke in us protests and anger. We would definitely say to ourselves that it is unjust. We usually put ourselves in the role of the servants who started to work in the morning hours and never put ourselves in the role of those who came at the last hour. Those who put themselves in the role of the servants in the last hour would definitely have different feelings. They would be filled with great love and gratitude at the generosity of the landowner.
The landowner himself makes certain statements at the end of the story which bring out God’s idea on salvation.
God is purely generous and there is no tit for tat in his dealings with human beings. He is always willing to offer everyone the abundance of his love. He is not dealing with us according to our merits. We are all given gifts and talents. We are given the opportunities of service. What is important is that God will never turn us away when we respond to his call.
However wanton and sinful we are, we may receive his call at unexpected moments in our lives. It is ours to respond to that call. It is ours to say, “Lord, I am ready.” Like the laborer at the end of the day who got the same wages, we too would become the recipients of God’s love when we respond to the call.
It is not our sins that are important but our response to God’s love. When we respond to him and return to him, there is no limit to the love that He would lavish upon us.
This is also a parable that tells the Israelites that even though they were the chosen people, salvation was not their birthright by race. It is open to all. The gentile nations who would accept the call will become recipients of God’s love before them, if they were to refuse to heed God’s call to repentance and regeneration.
The parable tells every sinner that there is hope for him at any stage in his life. He can return to God at any moment in his life. There is no need of despair.
“The parable teaches that goodness and mercy of God go far beyond human standards of justice. There is nothing unjust about God and we should never presume to judge him…Our natural attitude should be one of generosity….Rather than judging God, we should accept his gifts and thank him for having chosen to involve us in his plan of salvation .”(
“The important thing in this life is not what other people think of us or how hard we work in God’s vineyard. The important thing is what God thinks of us, and the love that motivates our work.”(Fr.Link S.J.)
Jesus makes it clear that human considerations have no place in the
When one becomes part of the kingdom of heaven, one does not feel burdened by earthly values of being the first or the last. These considerations disappear in the vast ocean of love and happiness that one enjoys in heaven.
Jesus through this parable reminds us that we will never be out of his favor. People may misunderstand us or our superiors may not give us due consideration. Others may override us. But God will not forsake us. That is enough for us. It is what we are in the eyes of God and not in the eyes of men that is important.
How consoling it is to know that at any time in one’s life one can come back to the Lord and experience the joy of eternal salvation. Even in the evening of ones’ life, on one’s deathbed, one can experience of joy of conversion as well as of salvation.
“Deeds of merit as we thought them,
He will show us but sin;
Little acts we had forgotten,
He will show us were for Him.”
Cardinal Newman’s prayer is worth mentioning:
“God has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. I have my mission---I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next….therefore, I will trust Him. He does nothing in vain.”
As parents, teachers and administrators, we are given various tasks to perform in this life. Without looking for favor or special consideration, let us commit ourselves to the tasks entrusted to us. Let us not compare ourselves with others in the discharge of our duties. The only consideration that should motivate us is that we are working in the vineyard of the Lord.
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