25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A, Year II)
Community Word: Disciples of Christ who gather in His name love one another.
Theme: We love one another when we are generous with our time, talent and treasure.
Promise: “The Lord is good to all and compassionate toward all his works.” (Ps 145:9)
Reflection:
On this 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Isaiah tells us in the first reading to respond to God’s call. “Seek the Lord while he may yet be found, call him while he is near,” is an invitation to a new way of life, to take the opportunity to straighten our lives and turn to God’s mercy, remembering that God is generous and forgiving: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways.”
The Gospel narrative about the landowner who goes out to seek laborers for his vineyard will likely draw a very human reaction from us. We are tempted to share the grumbling of the workers who labored long hours only to receive the same wages as those who were hired at the last minute. In human terms it seems grossly unfair. But to think this is to miss the point the reading intends to convey. The parable is not about equal rights for all, or equal pay for an honest day’s work. Its main thrust is to show the generosity of God in throwing open the doors of the kingdom to Gentiles and sinners, who are received on equal footing with the people he had chosen for his own, the Jews, who, as God’s chosen people, may well have grounds to expect preferential treatment.
It is unfortunate that this selfish and grudging attitude towards the salvation of sinners is not confined to the Jews. It is found even among people who would regard themselves as devout Christians, yet make comments uncharitable comments about eleventh hour and death-bed conversions. They find it difficult to accept that, after dutifully obeying God and struggling all their lives in his service, they end up no better off that those who never served, nor acknowledged God in their lifetime, but were converted and sought forgiveness at the last moment. Apart from the fact that nobody can judge a person’s standing before God, we have no right to begrudge those who turn to God late in life, because, in reality, no one deserves eternal life. It is a grace available to all who do the will of God the Father, whether this obedience and response to God’s call is early or late in life.
The gospel gives us an inspiring image of a generous, gracious and forgiving God whose love for us has no bounds and whose mercy extends both to those who have labored all their lives in his service, and to those who have broken faith but turn to him in their dying hour. Before the Almighty we all stand like beggars who can never boast that we have earned our salvation. Everything we have is the free gift of his love and mercy. We cannot explain his generosity, but one thing is certain — God’s ways are not our ways. Indeed, many people we don’t expect to see in the kingdom may be there well ahead of us – the thief who repented as he was dying on the cross, tax collectors and sinners, as well as persons who have believed and served God for many years.
We can reflect upon this parable on two levels – historically the parable explains why Gentiles may be entering the kingdom of heaven and experiencing the forgiveness and grace of God ahead of his chosen people, the Jews, who have struggled to stay faithful to the covenant for centuries. It teaches us that God’s goodness and generosity invites all people to life to His presence, based not how long they worked, but simply by answering his call when it came. On the second level, we are individually called to Christ and at different times in our lives, whether in our youth, adulthood, or even in our senior years. We can be drawn to Christ at any age; it is our response that counts, not the time of our call. The landowner did not compare one group of workers with the other. They were all paid the same wage, because they answered the call. The same is true with us. The Lord doesn’t compare us with each other. We are each blessed with unique talents, challenges and opportunities in life. As Pope John Paul II wrote, “Each of us has a story of our life that is our own; each has a story to tell of our soul that is our own.”
Encouraged by the Good News that the “Lord is close to all who call him”, we place our needs before our heavenly Father. God is generous to those who are willing to work for him and continually offer his grace to us and awaits our response. It is an urgent call for our salvation and that of others. No one has the right to stand idle. Then we shall always remember this week’s promise expressed in Psalm 145:9 – “The Lord is good to all and compassionate toward all his works.”
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, help us to always be thankful for the many gifts you have showered upon us. Bring us closer to one another in understanding and love. May we strive to serve You and one another as best we can, without claiming merits and rewards, but out of the generosity of our hearts. You have called us to work in your vineyard, may we be guided by your providence as we humbly abandon ourselves to your service for our own salvation and that of our brothers and sisters. Amen.
Reflection Question:
1.Have you responded to the service of the Lord? Have you done the best? If not, in what ways can you be a “fruitful laborer in the vineyard” (family, work and to the community)?
2.Are you jealous of what God has given to another person? Or do you feel blessed yourself when you see that others are receiving blessings both spiritually and materially?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
September 21, 2014 (Sun) Is 55:6-9/Ps 145:2-3,8-9,17-18/Phil 1:20-24,27/Mt 20:1-16
September 22, 2014 (Mon) Prv 3:27-34/Ps 15:2-3,3-4,5/Lk 8:16-18
September 23, 2014 (Tues) Prv 21:1-6,10-13/Ps 119:1,27,30,34,35,44/Lk 8:19-21
September 24, 2014 (Wed) Prv 30:5-9/Ps 119:29,72,89,101,104,163/Lk 9:1-6
September 25, 2014 (Thurs) Eccl 1:2-11/Ps 90:3-4,5-6,12-13,14,17/Lk 9:7-9
September 26, 2014 (Fri) Eccl 3:1-11/Ps 144:1,2,3-4/Lk 9:18-22
September 27, 2014 (Sat) Eccl 11:9-12:8/Ps 90:3-4,5-6,12-13,14,14/Lk 9:43-45
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