The readings for Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time may be found at:
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092026.cfm
In today’s first reading,
the Lord tells us through the prophet Isaiah,
“My thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways.”
And today’s Gospel
shows us exactly what that means.
Jesus tells us about a landowner who goes out looking for
workers for his vineyard.
Some begin early in the morning.
Others start at nine, noon, three, and even five o’clock,
when the workday is almost over.
And at the end of the day,
when it’s time to receive the day’s pay,
everyone receives the same wage.
The person who worked one hour
receives the same amount
as the person who worked all day.
And that doesn’t seem very fair, does it?
Yet the workers who started early weren’t cheated.
They received exactly what was promised.
Their problem wasn’t that they received too little.
Their problem
was that somebody else received more
then they thought that person deserved.
And that’s where this Gospel becomes real for us.
Because sometimes
we’re more comfortable with judgment
then we are with grace.
We look at another person’s life,
their choices, their sins, their past
and decide what we think they deserve.
Who’s been faithful enough.
Who’s done enough.
Who deserves mercy.
But that’s not our job.
We don’t own the vineyard.
God does.
God knows the whole story.
And God alone is the judge.
Sometimes we want a God of judgment
when we’re looking at somebody else’s sins -
but a God of mercy
when we’re looking at our own.
But our God is perfectly just
and infinitely merciful.
And thank God for that,
because none of us stands before God
on the strength of what we’ve earned.
If God gave each of us only what we deserved,
who among us could stand before Him?
The Catechism teaches that grace
is the “free and undeserved help” God gives us.
Grace is not something God owes us.
It’s His gift.
We can’t earn it.
And that’s what we can learn from the vineyard.
The landowner keeps going out.
Morning.
Noon.
Afternoon.
And even when the day is almost finished,
He goes out again.
Why?
Because there are still people waiting.
That is our God.
He never stops coming out looking for us.
Some encounter Christ early
and remain close to Him throughout their lives.
Some wander away
and return years later.
And some may turn toward Him
only near the end of their lives.
Like the good thief hanging beside Jesus on the Cross.
With no lifetime of service to offer.
No time to make up for his past.
He simply said,
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
And Jesus answered,
“Today you will be with me in Paradise.”
The good thief entered the vineyard
at the very last hour.
And we know him as Saint Dismas.
That is grace.
That is mercy.
And maybe that’s what Jesus is asking us to remember today.
That, it’s not our job to decide
what another person deserves.
It’s our job to remember
how much we need mercy ourselves.
Whether we came to the vineyard early or late,
every one of us is there because God called us.
Every one of us is a sinner in need of grace.
Every time we come to Confession,
we come asking for that mercy.
And every time we approach this altar,
we say,
“Lord, I am not worthy
that you should enter under my roof.”
And despite our unworthiness -
He comes.
He gives us His own Body and Blood.
Not because we deserve Him,
but because He loves us.
And when we really understand
how much mercy God has shown us,
maybe, we can stop keeping score.
We can stop judging.
And instead, become more grateful.
So maybe this week,
each of us can think of one person we’ve been judging.
Someone whose choices we don’t understand.
Whose past we haven’t forgotten.
Someone we’re not sure deserves another chance.
And instead of judging that person,
pray for them.
Ask God to show them the same mercy
we hope He will show us.
And then thank God
for all the times He has shown that mercy to us.
Because God’s mercy is greater
than anything we could ever earn,
and His grace is greater
than anything we could ever deserve.
No comments:
Post a Comment