September 24, 2023

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

In the Gospel from Matthew this week (Mt. 20:1-16a) we hear Jesus tell another of his kingdom of heaven parables. This parable called “The Workers in the Vineyard” is probably one of the most puzzling and difficult to understand. In fact, those who read or hear this parable may find it contrary to what they think about gaining access to the kingdom of heaven. The key to the meaning of this enigmatic parable, however, can be found in the First Reading from Isaiah for today (Isa. 55:6-9).

This is the context of the Gospel. Jesus is traveling from Galilee to Jerusalem with his disciples. He has twice predicted the fate that awaits him. He will be betrayed and handed over to the Jewish leaders who, with the cooperation of the Romans, will try and sentence him to death by crucifixion.

Yet, as the new Moses and rabbi extraordinaire, he continues to teach the disciples about things they will need to know as they continue his legacy. One of these is the working of the grace of God toward those who strive to enter the kingdom of heaven.

The story then follows. The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who goes out early in the morning to hire laborers to work in his vineyard. He offers them the usual daily wage and they go about working the harvest. The landowner then goes out at nine o’clock and, seeing other available workers in the marketplace, he sends them to work in his field. He does this repeatedly, finding more workers at noon, three o’clock, and five o’clock.

In the evening, when it is time to pay the laborers, the landowner instructs his foreman, “Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.” (Mt. 20:8b).

This is much to the chagrin of the laborers who had begun working early in the morning. They are getting the same amount of pay as those who did not start until five o’clock. So, they complain to 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.” (Mt. 20:12).

Isn’t this exactly what we would think today in this situation? If someone works for eight hours, they deserve to get paid for eight hours. And if someone works for one hour, then they should only get paid for one hour. It is basically an equitable system of wage payment.

But look at the reply of the landowner to the objection of the full-day laborers: “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.” (Mt. 20:13-16).

Here again, although we would agree that the landowner is free to do whatever he wants with his money, and even concede that he is being very generous, we might still find it hard to get past the idea that there is something unfair going on here. Why should the last be treated the same as the first and vice versa? Why equal treatment for both groups?

Now consider what the different people in the parable represent. The landowner would be God working through the person of Jesus. The workers would be the followers of Christ laboring or striving to enter the kingdom of heaven. Some people, like the early morning workers, have a strong commitment to Jesus their entire lives, faithfully following the traditions of the Church. Others, like the midday workers, gradually develop a devotion to Christ due to the influence of another person or unpredicted turn of events. Finally, some are like the late day workers who wait an awfully long time before they discover the need for faith in God or to practice any religion. Sometimes this does not happen until a person is lying on their deathbed.

Regardless of whether a person spends a lifetime of devotion to God, or turns to God with their dying breath, with this parable Jesus tells us that all will be treated the same. All will be welcomed into the kingdom of heaven with open arms.

It is very possible that the lesson Jesus is teaching here still does not resonate well with us. We might still question the fairness coming even from God considering how we view the way in which our efforts in this world should affect our rewards in the afterlife. Why should a person who has lived a life, at best, with complacency, or even worse, of sinfulness and debauchery, be welcomed into God’s kingdom as readily as the longest, most devout Christian?

In order to get a better understanding of the parable we turn to the prophet Isaiah from the First Reading who is writing to the Israelites held captive by the Babylonians. Considering their plight to be the result of their own sinfulness, he reassures them that God remains near. He advises them to seek forgiveness, saying, “Let the wicked forsake their way, and sinners their thoughts; Let them turn to the LORD to find mercy; to our God, who is generous and forgiving.” (Isa. 55:7).

Then Isaiah continues with a verse which is a direct quote from the LORD: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isa. 55:8a-9).

This is the verse which is especially important for us as we ponder the meaning of the parable of Jesus from today. God thinks differently than we do. Therefore, God acts differently than we often expect. God follows heavenly rules, not earthly rules.  So, when we consider a subject such as work and compensation, we have to look at it according to God’s point of view and not our human point of view.

The grace of God – His steadfast love, mercy, and compassion – described by the Hebrew word hesed, is not something we deserve or can earn. It is not a reward or payment for work done well or faithfulness and loyalty. Rather, God’s hesed is a free gift given equally to all people open to receiving it.

If we think like humans, instead of like God, we consider the parable of Jesus in terms of commodities and fair economic practices. But if we consider that God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and God’s ways are higher than our ways, then it makes sense that, when it comes to the kingdom of heaven, “The last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Mt. 20:13-16).