Ordinary Time week 15

Psalm: Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45 or Psalm 145:1-8 

Old Testament: Exodus 16:2-15 or Jonah 3:10-4:11 

Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16 

Epistle: Philippians 1:21-30

The parable of the “Laborers in the Vineyard” from Matthew 20 is a striking tale, both to its original hearers and really in any time period. As humans, we generally have an innate sense of what justice and fairness is. When one person works 11 hours and another works only 1, yet they get the same pay, we perceive that to be unfair. Thus, the workers in the parable that worked 11 hours grumble to the landowner that they received an unfair wage. The first thing to note is that they all received a denarius, a normal day’s wage. The landowner isn’t being stingy or unfair to any of the workers; he is giving them each an honest day’s wage. We can all think of how this situation might work out in our society today. First, it can happen exactly like the parable when people hire contractors to work for them. But, it can also happen when we perceive or judge others at our work sites that may do less work, yet still get paid the same or get promoted over others.

So, the parable itself is simple. We can understand how it would work in our society today and we can understand why this story is unfair. Despite the simplicity of the story, however, the implications are amazing. It first teaches us of the great grace of the Father. God doesn’t care if you become a Christian when you are 9 years old or 99. He doesn’t care if you are Jewish or came to the party relatively late like the Gentiles. He appreciates the laborers who work 11 hours and rewards them justly/fairly, but all the laborers still receive the same reward. Perhaps this passage isn’t preached on too much because it only takes about a half second for someone to think, “Great, I can keep sinning and do whatever I want until I’m just about ready to die, then I can start following Christ.” Some might think that, and that is between them and God, but this passage still speaks about the amazing grace of God that is always ready to be extended to those who turn towards him. There are plenty of other passages that speak of the danger of hardening one’s heart towards God so that repentance becomes nearly impossible. And there are many other passages that speak about the joy and peace that comes when you start to follow God that we can make the case for following Jesus without being worried no one will because of this one parable. This parable is just one of those times when it is clear that God’s grace truly is amazing.

This parable does raise some interesting questions, though.  What does this say about the way we view the economy, day laborers, and salaries? And what does this say to us about justice and fairness in the Kingdom of God? God’s ways can sometimes seem quite radical and counter-cultural…and sometimes they can just make us mad, much like how Jonah felt. Jonah was a guy who ran away from God’s call at least partially because he was afraid God would actually save the wicked city of Nineveh. Jonah knew that God was gracious and always ready to accept those who repented, and he didn’t think the Ninevites deserved to be saved. We know that ultimately God saved the city of Nineveh through Jonah’s preaching and Jonah was angry about it happening. In our verses here, God points out Jonah’s own hypocrisy when he is sadder that a 1 day old tree, which provided him shade, dies, than if all the people and animals of Nineveh were to perish. God reveals here, like he later would through Jesus, that his grace is ready to be extended to anybody who would accept it, regardless of their past.

These two passages are really challenging to me and maybe to you as well. How often do we try to be judge and jury of people’s lives? We want what is right and fair, and our politics, law systems, economy, corporate system, etc. all depend on the principles of fairness. (Think of the women’s rights campaign, “equal pay for equal work.”) But God’s Kingdom has a different kind of equality which says we are all equal to receive his grace and forgiveness.

I feel like I am not explaining this well. But at the very least, let me get one point across: God’s grace really is amazing! The Ninevites and the laborers who only worked an hour did not get what they deserved, but they got grace.

This is the challenge to us like last week and the parable on forgiveness. We have been forgiven an enormous amount--just like the Ninevites and the 1 hour laborers. How can we not forgive and extend grace when it has been so lavished upon us?! When we feel like judging others or giving people what they deserve, we need to check ourselves and think about the grace we have received in Christ. We are to be Jesus’ hands and feet and sometimes that means extending grace and mercy even we don’t feel like it.

Through the Holy Spirit, may we strive to better reflect God’s grace and mercy this week.

Grace and Peace.