Sunday, June 12, 2005
MATTHEW 20:1-16
"Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?"
Today's gospel of the workers in the vineyard has often puzzled many of us. Perhaps its because what the landowner in the parable did, goes against what most of us would have done under similar circumstances. We are all brought up with ideas concerning work and compensation, i.e. no work no pay, more work more pay and less work less pay. It does not seem fair to the workers who had worked longer hours to receive less than those who had worked more.
Even during the time of Jesus, the people would be shocked to hear of such a radical idea. Many will have trouble accepting and comprehending this parable of Jesus concerning the kingdom of heaven. However, perhaps Jesus really intended to shock his listeners in the same way he shocked those who listen to the parable of the good shepherd. Recall that the shepherd left the flock to search for one lost sheep. What Jesus may be proposing to his listeners then and to us now, is that the Lord's love and generosity is the foundation of the kingdom of God.
This is so different and opposite from the way human nature operates. Why is it that many of us have difficulty in accepting that God's love and generosity as the foundation of our value system? Is it because of our human nature? Is it because as children we were taught otherwise? Is it because of our sinful nature, i.e. greed, self-sufficiency and self-centeredness? Are we any different from the people during the time of Jesus 2,000 years ago?
Perhaps we need to be reminded and give thanks to the Lord for his generosity and for all the gifts He bestowed to us.
Today's gospel of the workers in the vineyard has often puzzled many of us. Perhaps its because what the landowner in the parable did, goes against what most of us would have done under similar circumstances. We are all brought up with ideas concerning work and compensation, i.e. no work no pay, more work more pay and less work less pay. It does not seem fair to the workers who had worked longer hours to receive less than those who had worked more.
Even during the time of Jesus, the people would be shocked to hear of such a radical idea. Many will have trouble accepting and comprehending this parable of Jesus concerning the kingdom of heaven. However, perhaps Jesus really intended to shock his listeners in the same way he shocked those who listen to the parable of the good shepherd. Recall that the shepherd left the flock to search for one lost sheep. What Jesus may be proposing to his listeners then and to us now, is that the Lord's love and generosity is the foundation of the kingdom of God.
This is so different and opposite from the way human nature operates. Why is it that many of us have difficulty in accepting that God's love and generosity as the foundation of our value system? Is it because of our human nature? Is it because as children we were taught otherwise? Is it because of our sinful nature, i.e. greed, self-sufficiency and self-centeredness? Are we any different from the people during the time of Jesus 2,000 years ago?
Perhaps we need to be reminded and give thanks to the Lord for his generosity and for all the gifts He bestowed to us.
# posted by F O O D F O R T H O U G H T @ 5:07 PM 
