Walking with Jesus: 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 55:6-9; Philippians 1:2-24, 27; Matthew 20:1-16

Every once in a while my dad would say to me, “Do you have an inflated vision of yourself?” Am I more important than I think I am? Do I seem to consider myself better than someone else? When I do, how is my relationship with those around me? Life is about relationships: loving, caring, forgiveness, mercy, being present and responsive to those in need … so how am I living my life today? Am I charitable or irritable? Am I helpful or thinking primarily of myself? Am I forgiving or in a get-even mode? Am I aware of those who are needy or am I numero-uno? Do I believe that God very frequently places into my life people who are purposefully sent to receive some gifts … talents … specialness God has blessed me with so that I can respond to their need? The bottom line is that at those moments, I may be the only Jesus they know and need. Do I believe that’s the way God operates? If not, how does God respond to those in need?

Psalm 145 sets the tone for today’s reflection by telling us, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him.” It is a unique psalm, actually a poem in acrostic form ... every verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. These poems usually do not develop ideas but consist of loosely connected statements. Here the “works of God” show that God is always present and invites praise and gratitude for helping and enabling others to help. This is a major theme throughout early Jewish and Christian literary texts.

Leading up to today’s passage, Isaiah has reminded God’s people about His promises to David that this kingdom will be eternal. This is very warmly received considering their many years in exile. These promises will include not only Israel but all people who turn to the Lord. Isaiah is telling all that God is bigger than anyone can imagine, and His care, love and help are always accessible since God is always present and responsive. This is different from our human ways and thoughts which find it difficult to forgive and often are filled with anger and retaliation. God’s ways are not our ways. “As high as the heavens are above the earth, as high are My ways above your ways and My thoughts above your thoughts.” [Isaiah 55:9] Thank You Lord!

Paul is writing from prison … not a comfortable place to write to people. He realizes there is a purpose for him to be there if only to advance the gospel of living in love, forgiveness and mercy. He would like to die so that he can be with Christ and end his suffering. Being closer to the end of my life than the beginning, I’ve had this thought too. On the other hand, Paul realizes that if he continues his life of service he will be able to spread the gospel and teach and support other Christian communities. Whatever happens in his life, God is using his life and ours to help, care for and minister the values and love of Christ. We never know if a person in our life right now is the prime person God has gifted us with the Christian values and God’s love to bring them closer to their eternal home. So we pray for the grace, as Paul does, to continue our lives of service and love.

Jesus’ parable on the “Workers in the Vineyard” is considered very difficult since the several possibilities of its meaning just don’t seem satisfactory. My students would say, “Father, that just isn’t fair what Jesus has done.” At the end of the workday, the foreman calls all the laborers together and pays them in reverse order, which seems very strange and starts the “not fair” complaints. Why does the landlord want it done this way? Why give the same pay? The response: “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.” [Matthew 20:15-16] Do we feel we are justified in complaining about this parable? What do I … do we … consider to be fair in our lives, in the church, in our country, in the world today? We know there is much unfairness.

A BIG QUESTION: Are we taking the text OUT OF CONTEXT? The very next passage is Jesus’ third Passion Prediction and we WILL NOT hear this as the Gospel next week: “As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, ‘Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and hand Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified and He will be raised on the third day.'” [Matthew 20:17-19] That is total unfairness. Maybe the owner of the vineyard is paying the workers not according to how much they have worked, but according to how much they need. Why did the later groups show up late? Problems at home? Working more than one job to help their family? Sickness?  What we know is that the parable emphasizes the generosity of God in which everyone’s needs are met. God cares more about mercy than fairness. What is God best at, His love or His mercy? I believe it’s the latter.

So I reflect on:

• Do I remember when I was picked last or first for something? I know how I felt … important … low self image. Has this lesson carried over in my present relationships with those in need?
• God needs me. God has chosen me. What does this mean to me? Do I want only the high positions, or am I willing to clean up the bathrooms of the poor?
• What are some practical things I can do to battle ingratitude toward God and my tendency to “grumble” enviously?
  

Sacred Space 2020 states:

“Envy is arguably the most poisonous of the deadly sins. Not only do the envious loathe others for what they have, but they also loathe themselves for not having it. We are all coworkers in God’s vineyard. We can each be confident that He will deal not only justly but generously with us.

“The vineyard owner, in his mercy, rewarded all equally. When am I tempted to consider my work and time more valuable than others?”