“‘My friend, I am not cheating you.
Matthew 20:13
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?’”
Reflection
Jesus tells his disciples a parable about the kingdom of heaven. A landowner hires workers for his vineyard in the beginning of the day and agrees on a certain wage with them. He then continues to employ other workers throughout the day, all with the same wage promised. At the end of the day, the people who worked all day are angry that they are paid the same as those who worked only one hour. But the landowner says he has not cheated them, but given what was promised, and can be generous with his own money.
We can tend to be jealous like the workers who work all day and yet get paid the same as those who work only a little. This can apply literally, in the workplace today, and also spiritually. We might be angry that God offers eternity with him to those who haven’t been faithful until the very end of their lives. Yet this is not the Christian spirit – we should rejoice that a person comes to Christ, even if their life has been spent in sin.
God offers each of us eternal life in paradise with him – the reward is the same, no matter if you have been faithful all your life or only the last day of your life. While this seems unfair, God wants all of us to be united with him, and his mercy is endless. How can you become more grateful for your faith and the mercy God extends towards you daily?
Saint of the Day
Sts. Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, and Companions: died between 1839 – 1867
| “I urge you to remain steadfast in faith, so that at last we will all reach heaven and there rejoice together.” St. Andrew Kim Taegon |
