My Sisters and Brothers:
In today’s Gospel we’ve heard those well-known and often-quoted words: “the last will be first, and the first will be last.” They were spoken by Jesus in his “Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard” (see Matthew 20:1-16a). According to the story, day laborers had exhausted themselves after working from morning to afternoon in the heat, and then they complained when those who had come later, and who had worked far less (even some for only an hour), were paid the same amount for that day’s wages. They said: “These last ones worked only an hour, and you made them equal to us, who bore the day's burden and the heat” (see verse 12). Even so, the landowner’s responded thus: “I am not cheating you . . . did you not agree to the usual daily wage . . . am I not free to do as I wish with my own money . . . are you envious because I am generous” (see verses 13-15).
As we contemplate this story, it’s important to note Jesus often used hyperbole when he was teaching. He exaggerated situations presented in the parables in order to very clearly demonstrate his radical message of salvation for all. But as we read the “Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard,” and having all of our contemporary sensibilities toward fairness and justice, we’d likely believe the laborers who worked an entire day should be paid much more than those who worked only an hour–not simply and exactly the same amount. After all, that would seem like the just thing for the owner of the vineyard to have done. But was Jesus really addressing the question of fair wages and just compensation for labor? Doesn’t it seem, at face value, we might conclude from this story Jesus had given some kind of justification to the rich and powerful to abuse their laborers? But he really didn’t advocate such at all! The parable simply offered his followers a guarantee of the fullness of grace for all people, even for those who were “latecomers” to his message of salvation for all. Converts to the faith, even those who converted on their “deathbed,” were assured a place in the Kingdom! This was Jesus’ new and revolutionary message!
The message of this Gospel was also foreshadowed by the words of Isaiah found in today’s first reading (see Isaiah 55:6-9). The Prophet proclaimed that our loving God called back-to-himself those who had sinned; he said: “God is rich in forgiveness,” and “let the sinner turn to the Lord for mercy, to our God who is generous in forgiving” (see verse 8). These words remind us that God’s love and forgiveness are equally extended to all people. And doesn’t this idea perfectly complement the message of today’s Gospel parable? God’s mercy is available even for those who fail to act quickly upon it! I believe this is precisely why Jesus said “the last will be first, and the first will be last.” He wanted those who “came late” to have the same assurance of salvation as those who “had been there much sooner,” and he wanted those already “saved” never to think of themselves as “more worthy” than the others.
Jesus assured his followers salvation was for all! No matter at what age a person repented, turned away from sin, and became reconciled to God, he or she could receive the fullness of God’s grace! What was most important for such people was that they turned to God with all of their hearts. And so those who “worked only an hour” (i.e. the ‘latecomers’ to God’s Kingdom), were “equal” in the eyes of God to those who had been faithful for all or most of their lives. In this way, even “the last will be first!”
And so, let’s rejoice then when friend, a family member, or an acquaintance, finally joins us in the Christian way of life! May we never consider ourselves “more worthy” because we’ve always been faithful! And let’s pray for those who have not joined us! And may we always be patient with the hope that others will discover the joy we have and our faith’s promise of eternal life!
Praise God! Friar Timothy
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