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, the landowner 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, the landowner 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."
Gospel Trivia:
The following trivia will help in understanding the meaning of this parable:
- During the times of Jesus, a landowner would go to the market daily to recruit laborers. He would do this once, usually early in the morning. In the parable, the landowner recruits five times: early in the morning, at 9:00am, at 12:00 noon, 3:00pm and finally at 5:00 pm. Note also that there seems to be no pressing need for the additional recruits; the landlord, it seems, simply wanted to have more laborers.
- The laborers who were recruited last were paid first. This is intentional to set-up the disdain of the first set of laborers -- if the first laborers were paid first then they may not have a chance to compare their wages with those who were recruited last.
- The first set of laborers were so indignant that they did not even address the landlord with a title, like "lord", "sir" or "master." Yet, the landlord, in his reply, addressed them as "my friend."
This parable is an allegory where the landlord represents Jesus, the first set of laborers represents the Pharisees, and the rest as the sinners.
This parable is found only in Matthew's gospel, and Matthew had the harshest words for the Pharisees. The Pharisees felt that they were the "first" and the "righteous" because they followed the law, gave alms, prayed in the temples frequently, and abstained strictly. They have reduced righteousness before God as simply based on following a set of rules!
On the other hand, our faith is more than just a set of rules. Jesus' message is that our judgment is based on how much we love and forgive. The conversion of the sinner is far more important than his or her sinful life. The parable points out that we are not judged based on justice (for no one will pass that measure), but based on the kindness and generosity of our God.
Recall the words of Pope Francis: "I am a sinner, but I trust in the infinite mercy and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Nil Guillemette, SJ, Parables for Today (Manila: St. Paul's Publications, 1987), pp. 78-81.
No comments:
Post a Comment