No One Is Excluded By Love

No One is Excluded by Love

Isaiah 55:6-9,

Philippians 1:20-24,

Philippians 1:27,

Matthew 20:1-16.

Reflection

Dear sisters and brothers,

Let us listen to the text for our reflection today from the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 20:1-16):

“Jesus told his disciples this parable:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner

who went out at dawn to hire labourers 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 labourers 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.””

Having listened to the text, let me give an example from my family.

I have advantages growing up in a large, traditional, farming family in a remote village in my country.

When the crop is ready and it is time for harvest, my whole family is out in the field working together gathering the fruit of our labour.

We do not work at the same space and time.

My grandfather, my father, my uncles and me, would be in the field very early while my grandmother and my mother cooked food for all and my little sister still asleep.

My grandmother, my mother and my little sister would join us in the farm later with breakfast and lunch.

My grandfather, my father, my uncles and me would go to the farm to work without breakfast but my little sister would come out from home only after her breakfast.

When she finally arrives to the farm, she is more interested in playing around, asking silly questions and distracting us and the workers from the work rather than contributing her part in the form of work itself.

No one gets angry with her.

At the end of the day, all of us go home happily together.

Then, supper is prepared and served.

Does anyone say during supper that we should eat only as much as we have worked in the farm or we should eat according to our contributions?

Not at all!

Often my little sister, who does the least work is pampered with the best food.

Yet, no one complains, no one is jealous and everyone is happy.

The big question that the parable poses to us today is: “Do we see ourselves as a family with a common purpose or do we see ourselves as a bunch of individuals, each with their own agenda in the Kingdom of Heaven?

We call ourselves each other’s brothers and sisters in the Kingdom of Heaven, in the Church, in our community gathering and prayer and, in our praise, and worship.

Why then do we often complain as rivals and competitors of one another as the parable states?

We complain, because

a. We need attention:

People want to be noticed and they use complaining as a way to “bond” with others. The parable conveys that the first hour labourers sought the attention of the landowner.

b. It removes the responsibility from our shoulders:

Pointing the finger seems easier than assuming responsibility and actually doing something about the things that bother us. The first hour labourers point finger at other latecomers rather than understanding their own agreement with the landowner.

c. Pride and competitiveness:

We tend to think that pointing out the things that are wrong with others will show the world how much better we are. We complain about those who are “less” capable than we are. Read from the text: ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ Notice the amount of pride in their attitude and behaviour.