parable of the vineyard
This is an excellent parable on entitlement, feeling cheated out of a fair deal, and minding one's own business, as Aslan says in Narnia, "I am telling you your story, not hers. I tell no one any story but his own."
* * *
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, 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 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.”
Reflection:
In this parable, Jesus used the images of a vineyard, a landowner and the laborers. The vineyard is our heavenly home, the landowner is God and the laborers are the believers.
According to this parable (Matthew 20; 1-16), latecomers were paid the same lump sum as the early birds. This suggests the equality of all the disciples in the reward of inheriting eternal life.
At the onset the laborers did not mind it when other workers came and worked with them. Dissatisfaction and grumbling set in when they became victims of their own expectations. The workers hired earlier thought they were entitled to a bigger pay since they had worked for a longer period than those hired late in the day- These men didn't realize that as far as the landowner is concerned, he did not renege on his commitment to them. The master kept his bargain with them. The master did not cheat them. He gave them what they agreed to take.
This parable specially speaks to those who may feel superior or favored because of their heritage or favored position and to those who may feel superior because they have spent so much time with Christ.
How many of us feel a certain entitlement for serving and working for the Lord. Or how many of us sometimes fall prey to the trap of self-righteousness and comparing ourselves with others. There is a tendency at times to equate our faith and its expressions (example-the frequency, intensity and length of our prayers and sacraments) to the amount of blessings we expect to receive.
Yes in all earnestness when we pray we should do so wholeheartedly and have expectant faith. However our minds, hearts and spirits must still be predisposed to God's infinite wisdom. That He will answer our prayers in the way that is best for us.
Even in the secular aspect don't we encounter people who, by virtue of their position or power seem to lord it over to us. They drive through our streets with sirens announcing their passing, expecting most to yield and make space for them. Or they go to a place and expect everyone else to give them the best seat in the house, serve and bow to them. Perhaps in a worldly sense this is a reality but certainly not in God’s kingdom. This also serves as a reassurance of God's grace that everyone, different we may be has as much right to His kingdom equally. We just need to surrender ourselves completely to Him.
In our individual walk with Christ we must bear in mind to focus only on Lord and on our Journey. Not to look at our neighbors' walk. It is of no concern to us what others get other than share in their joy and good fortune.
God in all His goodness, compassion, generosity and wisdom knows what is truly best for all. He plays no favorites. He loves whom He loves. None of the late comers earned the full day's pay but the householder granted it to them out of his goodness and generosity. So too, we late comers to faith in the true God cannot earn a reward from God but rather we receive it because of God's generosity.
This comes as an encouragement to all those who have just surrendered themselves to the Lord or those who may have been sidetracked and have recently returned. The Lord loves us all. His grace is freely given to all His children May we draw encouragement from this reality and seek Him earnestly today. He loves us dearly and seeks a lasting relationship with each one of us.
* * *
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, 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 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.”
Reflection:
In this parable, Jesus used the images of a vineyard, a landowner and the laborers. The vineyard is our heavenly home, the landowner is God and the laborers are the believers.
According to this parable (Matthew 20; 1-16), latecomers were paid the same lump sum as the early birds. This suggests the equality of all the disciples in the reward of inheriting eternal life.
At the onset the laborers did not mind it when other workers came and worked with them. Dissatisfaction and grumbling set in when they became victims of their own expectations. The workers hired earlier thought they were entitled to a bigger pay since they had worked for a longer period than those hired late in the day- These men didn't realize that as far as the landowner is concerned, he did not renege on his commitment to them. The master kept his bargain with them. The master did not cheat them. He gave them what they agreed to take.
This parable specially speaks to those who may feel superior or favored because of their heritage or favored position and to those who may feel superior because they have spent so much time with Christ.
How many of us feel a certain entitlement for serving and working for the Lord. Or how many of us sometimes fall prey to the trap of self-righteousness and comparing ourselves with others. There is a tendency at times to equate our faith and its expressions (example-the frequency, intensity and length of our prayers and sacraments) to the amount of blessings we expect to receive.
Yes in all earnestness when we pray we should do so wholeheartedly and have expectant faith. However our minds, hearts and spirits must still be predisposed to God's infinite wisdom. That He will answer our prayers in the way that is best for us.
Even in the secular aspect don't we encounter people who, by virtue of their position or power seem to lord it over to us. They drive through our streets with sirens announcing their passing, expecting most to yield and make space for them. Or they go to a place and expect everyone else to give them the best seat in the house, serve and bow to them. Perhaps in a worldly sense this is a reality but certainly not in God’s kingdom. This also serves as a reassurance of God's grace that everyone, different we may be has as much right to His kingdom equally. We just need to surrender ourselves completely to Him.
In our individual walk with Christ we must bear in mind to focus only on Lord and on our Journey. Not to look at our neighbors' walk. It is of no concern to us what others get other than share in their joy and good fortune.
God in all His goodness, compassion, generosity and wisdom knows what is truly best for all. He plays no favorites. He loves whom He loves. None of the late comers earned the full day's pay but the householder granted it to them out of his goodness and generosity. So too, we late comers to faith in the true God cannot earn a reward from God but rather we receive it because of God's generosity.
This comes as an encouragement to all those who have just surrendered themselves to the Lord or those who may have been sidetracked and have recently returned. The Lord loves us all. His grace is freely given to all His children May we draw encouragement from this reality and seek Him earnestly today. He loves us dearly and seeks a lasting relationship with each one of us.
The Council of Elders
St. James Renewal Movement
St. James Renewal Movement
posted by montalut @ 11:16 PM
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