Reflection on “God’s Generosity and Invitation to Love” based on the Gospel of Matthew 20:1-16 (25th Sunday in Ordinary Time):
In the kingdom of God, there is family, community – not just as a society or group of individuals. In a society – there is this “we-and-them”, there is rivalry - survival of the fittest. But, in a family, there is only “all - we – us” - and NO them. There is the spirit of co-operation rather than competition.
In the Gospel parable, the workers in the vineyard complained because they saw each other not as family members but as rivals, as competitors. If the latecomers in the vineyard were seen as family members of the early workers, the early workers would have rejoiced with them at their good fortune rather than grumbling. There is one popular “oldies” song that goes: “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.”
We need to expand our concept of family beyond our blood relatives - because we are all members of the same Body of Christ, of one Spirit, with one heavenly Father… who is so generous … who sees all of us as His sons and daughters… and so we are brothers and sisters.
You see - The Gospel parable is really about God’s generosity, His grace, His goodness and mercy and His invitation to us into a more intimate relationship and not so much about fairness- but about relationship.
The problem is we often get caught up on issues of fairness – comparing ourselves with others, with one another.
We often feel discontented - because we often compare our lives with those who are doing better, with those who have more. You see - there will always be someone richer, healthier, more talented, or better looking than we are.….
So, when it seems life is unfair - we need to take a fresh look at the good things in our lives – the things we often take for granted. When we “feel cheated in life”, let us just think of those with less – the less fortunate - and not those with more.
The workers in the parable did not feel they were mistreated when they were hired - first. It is only when the owner extended his generosity to the workers hired late in the day. You see - We usually do not have problems with people’s generosity, with God’s generosity to us - when we are the ones receiving it – when others are envious of us - because we feel special.
In a way – it is like - when we come before God for our sins, we ask for Mercy but when it comes to other people’s sins or faults particularly against us, we demand justice.
All of us are like the workers in the parable who were hired later in the day… and so, we can say that we are all “latecomers.”
If we want to compare ourselves with others – let us compare ourselves with the saints who are as ordinary people as we are. Compared to the saints who served God faithfully and who gave up their lives for the sake of the Gospel, serving others - St. Paul, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Teresa of Calcutta, St. Francis of Assissi, countless martyrs and saints, how do you think we are - compared to them? - But God is equally generous and compassionate with the saints as He is with us. He loves us, offers us His divine life – No Less… Everything is by the grace of God.
So, when we feel cheated in life, treated unfairly; when it seems life is so unfair – when bad things happen even to good people and the bad people seem to be the ones enjoying life and the ones prospering – we need to continue to trust God – his goodness, that He is just…that He is in control….even when things do not make any sense and even when we cannot understand.
In the grand scheme of things, we can see only a very tiny portion of the big picture… of God’s plan…
We need to be in a relationship of love and trust with our God instead of on the basis of what is in it for me.
Here’s the big question for all of us: Why do we follow Jesus, why do we obey his teachings? Why do we obey the Ten Commandments? Why are we here – why do we come to Mass?
– Is it because we want to go to heaven – and because we are afraid to go to hell?
Do we follow Jesus so He will bless us? … so that he'll make our family happy? So that bad things will not happen to us? Do we pray the rosary or the novenas or go to pilgrimages or first Fridays or First Saturdays because of the promises - that no misfortune will come to us… that we will receive all the “indulgences”.
I am not saying those are bad motivations. But we need to go beyond those motives. Because – in a way we can say – with all due respect – those motives are the same as saying: “What is in it for me, Lord, if I do all those things?
When we go to confession – one of the versions of the Act of Contrition – we say: “I detest all my sins because I fear the loss of heaven and the pains of hell – (and here’s the most important part) - but most of all - because I offended thee my God who are all good and deserving of all my love…”… out of love…relationship of love….We cannot earn our way to heaven. Again, everything is grace.
All of the parables that Jesus told - always have - as the core purpose - to teach us something about our relationship with God.
From this perspective - we can understand Paul’s letter to Philippians (1:21) – we heard from our second reading. Paul is not focusing on himself but on his relationship with Christ – with God.
Basically - St. Paul was saying: "For me life means Christ. Even if I die, it doesn't matter. If I live – thanks be to God! - there' so much more I want to give. If I die - thanks be to God! – that means I will be with God! If I live, I can continue to bring others to God. I am not going to live for what I can get out of life.”
That is how he found contentment in whatever circumstances he found himself in – even in prison… where he wrote this letter of encouragement.
… And so – for us - What happens now if after doing all our devotions – God forbid – what if bad things would happen to us? – What happens when we feel cheated by life? Unfortunately, that is when people lose faith. They no longer see God as good but unfair. God does not seem to be real anymore.
Salvation is really when following Christ is no longer about us – no longer about ME, MY, OURS… Salvation is about Jesus and our love for our neighbor and the life that we give – the life that we share… Jesus said: “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake (for the sake of the Gospel) will find it.” (Matthew 16:25)
So, my brothers and sisters in Christ, let us examine our reasons why we do what we do, why we follow Christ. Let us be honest with ourselves. Let us continue to pray for the Lord to purify our intentions, to increase our love for God and our neighbor….
…Let us pray that we may serve God and our neighbors - with joyful, grateful and generous hearts, not looking for how much we can get - but rather looking for how much we can give, how deep we can love.
At the end of our lives, that is all we can take with us – how much we have given of ourselves – how much we have loved, what we carry in our hearts.
(Homily for 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time Cycle A
Readings: Isaiah 55:6-9 Philippian 1:20-24,27 Matthew 20:1-16)
