• 2 years ago
A reflection on the Gospel According to Matthew, 20:1-16
Transcript
00:00 Of all the Lord's parables, the one that frustrates us the most is the one that we hear this weekend,
00:07 the one we call the parable of the workers hired late.
00:11 Why?
00:12 Because some workers work for just one hour, but the owner of the vineyard pays them the
00:18 same as those who have worked all day long.
00:20 And we say, "This is so unfair.
00:22 This is so unjust."
00:25 But what I often think about is, what if I were in the position of being one of those
00:32 workers who only worked for an hour?
00:36 Would I complain then, when I received this unjust salary of a whole day's rations?
00:46 It's one-sided.
00:47 I only complain if I feel that somehow I'm being cheated.
00:50 And what Jesus wants to show us is that there is a mercy at work in our life that is greater
00:58 than the justice that we are so attached to, and he wants us to love it, to fall in love
01:05 with it, and to trust it.
01:07 Instead of grumbling against the landowner, as these people that work all day do, what
01:14 if they went to the man and they said, "I see how generous you are.
01:19 Would you perhaps help me?
01:21 I have a child in college.
01:23 It's hard to pay the tuition.
01:24 I don't know if I can pay rent.
01:27 My wife is sick, and there are bills that are mounting.
01:31 I just need help, and I don't really know where else to turn.
01:34 Could you help me?"
01:35 What would this generous man do?
01:38 He'd be overjoyed to write you a check, because that's the kind of person that he is.
01:44 He loves to share what he has with those who need it most.
01:49 That's why he gives so much to those who only work for an hour.
01:53 So this is a day to put aside all of those very clouded, dark thoughts, and to look at
02:02 mercy who is coming to love us, and to let him give us a love that exceeds anything that
02:10 we could ask or imagine.
02:12 [silence]
02:13 [silence]