You go into my vineyard too - Reflection on Mass readings for feast of St Pius X

Wednesday of the Twentieth week in Ordinary Time        21 August 2013

St. Pius X, Pope (1835-1914)

Very few popes deserve as much praise as this man did. He was the one who allowed younger children (from aged 7) to receive their first Holy Communion saying most young children had a deeper desire to have the Presence of Jesus inside them than many adults. Previously kids had to be about 15 years old before they could fully and properly participate at Mass. Can you imagine today trying to get fifteen year olds to make their First Holy Communion? (By the way he is not the one who shook hands with Hitler - that was Pius XII).

Judges 9:6-15.

All the citizens of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together and proceeded to make Abimelech king by the terebinth at the memorial pillar in Shechem.
When this was reported to him, Jotham went to the top of Mount Gerizim, and standing there, cried out to them in a loud voice: "Hear me, citizens of Shechem, that God may then hear you!
Once the trees went to anoint a king over themselves. So they said to the olive tree, 'Reign over us.'
But the olive tree answered them, 'Must I give up my rich oil, whereby men and gods are honoured, and go to wave over the trees?'
Then the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come; you reign over us!'
But the fig tree answered them, 'Must I give up my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to wave over the trees?'
Then the trees said to the vine, 'Come you, and reign over us.'
But the vine answered them, 'Must I give up my wine that cheers gods and men, and go to wave over the trees?'
Then all the trees said to the buckthorn, 'Come; you reign over us!'
But the buckthorn replied to the trees, 'If you wish to anoint me king over you in good faith, come and take refuge in my shadow. Otherwise, let fire come from the buckthorn and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'

Ps 21(20):2-3.4-5.6-7.

O LORD, in your strength the king is glad;
in your victory how greatly he rejoices!
You have granted him his heart’s desire;
you refused not the wish of his lips.

For you welcomed him with goodly blessings,
you placed on his head a crown of pure gold.
He asked life of you: you gave him
length of days forever and ever.

Great is his glory in your victory;
majesty and splendour you conferred upon him.
You made him a blessing forever,
you gladdened him with the joy of your face.

Mt 20:1-16a.

Jesus told his disciples this parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.

After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 

Going out about nine o'clock, he 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, he 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 laborers 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."







Commentary of the day: 

The context: The parable described in today’s gospel is known as the “Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard” or the “Parable of the Generous Landlord.”  This remarkable and rather startling parable is found only in Matthew.  There is Gospel, or "good news," in this parable because it is the story of the landlord's love and generosity, representing God’s love and generosity.  The question in God's mind is not, “How much do these people deserve?” but rather, “How can I help them?  How can I save them before they perish?”  It’s all about grace and blessings. God is presented in the parable as a loving mother who cares about each of her children equally.

The parable in a nutshell: The kingdom of heaven, says Jesus, is like a landowner who goes out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.  He rounds up a group at 6 AM, agrees to pay them the usual daily wage and then puts them into action.  At 9 AM, he rounds up another group.  At noon, he recruits a third team, and then at 3 PM, a fourth.  Finally, at 5 PM, he finds still more laborers who are willing and able to work.  He sends them into the vineyard to do what they can before sundown.  As the day ends, the landowner instructs his manager to pay each of the workers one denarius, the daily living wage, and to begin with those who started at 5 PM.

 Life messages: (1) We need to follow God’s example and show grace to our neighbor.  When someone else is more successful than we are, let us assume he needs the success.  When someone who does wrong fails to get caught, let us remember the many times we have done wrong and gotten off free.  We mustn’t wish pain on people for the sake of “fairness.”  We become envious of others because of our lack of generosity of heart. 2) We need to express our gratitude to God in our daily lives.  God personally calls each of us to a particular ministry. He shows his care by giving us His grace and eternal salvation.  All our talents and blessings are freely given us by God, so we should thank Him by avoiding sins, by rendering loving service to others, and by listening and talking to Him. 

(Fr. Tony) L/13

Saint John Chrysostom (c.345-407), priest at Antioch then Bishop of Constantinople, Doctor of the Church 

Homilies on Saint Matthew's Gospel, no.64, 4 

"You too go into my vineyard"

It is very obvious that this parable is considering people's conversion to God: some from their youth, others a little later and, finally, some only in old age. Christ rebukes the pride of the first to be called to stop them criticizing those called at the eleventh hour by showing them that payment is the same for all. At the same time, he stirs up the enthusiasm of the latter by showing them they can win the same wage as the former. Our Saviour has just been talking about the renunciation of wealth, disdain for possessions and those virtues that demand bigheartedness and courage. For this he needs to stir up the ardour of a youthful soul and so our Lord sets the flame of charity alight in them and strengthens their courage by showing them that even those who arrived last receive a full day's wages...To put it more clearly: some of them might have taken advantage of it and fallen into indifference and carelessness. But the disciples will clearly see that this generosity is a result of God's mercy, which alone bears them up to merit so magnificent a reward... All Jesus' parables – the virgins, the net, the thorns, the barren tree – call on us to show our virtue in our deeds... He is exhorting us to a pure and holy life. A holy life demands more from our hearts than simple purity of faith for it is a continual struggle, a tireless labour.