Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus’ parable in today’s Gospel is my favorite of all our Lord’s parables. I’m moved every time I read it by God’s generosity, extravagant mercy and grace, and the startling paradox revealed. Typically, I would read it as one of the laborers hired first, pitying those hired last and praying for greater humility to celebrate God’s grace to them. God forgive me! Today, I receive this Gospel from an entirely different perspective; today I am the worker hired at 5:00pm. Where do you find yourself in Jesus’ story today?
When I first opened today’s readings to prepare for this reflection, I was delighted to see today’s Gospel. Immediately upon beginning to pray it, I thought, oh my goodness, I’m the one hired last! In that glorious moment, I stepped into the light of God’s truth and recognized myself with greater clarity. Gratitude flooded my very being and it was as if the waters of my Baptism surged within me. Freedom tapped me on the shoulder and whispered, now you see yourself as you truly are – one who has been forgiven much and released to walk in liberty. (Spiritual pride is a dangerous thing, friends. It holds us captive by its deception . . .)
Join me in imagining yourself as one of the laborers hired at 5:00pm. “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.’” Wait, what? You think you’ve misheard the vineyard owner. Hesitantly you take your place toward the front of the line. You look back at the queue forming behind you. Those hired early are bent over with fatigue from the days’ toil. Sweat saturates their clothes and dust and dirt cake their sunburned skin. One man raises an arm covered in scratches and blood. Grape juice has stained their hands dark, torn sandals don’t give much protection to their bruised and blistered feet. You look down at yourself and begin to feel self-conscious. You barely broke a sweat from the little bit of work you did in the short time of your hire. Already you hear grumbling in the line behind you from those hired early. They’re exhausted, hungry, and dehydrated; well aware of the honest, hard day’s work they’ve put in. They eye you suspiciously and wonder why someone so undeserving stands in the same line with them.
“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.” You freeze, unable to move. The guy behind you gives you a shove and you find yourself face-to-face with the foreman who extends his hand toward you, offering the full days’ wage. Wait, wait, I don’t deserve this! It’s too much, it’s too good to be true! I didn’t earn it! Guilt and shame overwhelm you, and a little fear, too. You fight back tears and begin to shake. You look up and catch the eye of the vineyard owner. I don’t deserve this! He smiles at you and nods. Take what is yours and go. As the foreman tucks the cash into your hand, you stumble away overwhelmed by the ridiculous generosity of the vineyard owner. I can’t wait to tell everyone about this, you marvel to yourself.
I’m blown away today by the extravagant love, mercy, and grace of our generous God. I do not deserve God’s goodness to me and yet his mercies are new every morning and his faithfulness unending. Stop and reflect for a moment on how completely underserving you are and how benevolent God is to you. Think about the vineyard owner’s ridiculous behavior! What business owner would pay laborers the same wage for disparate work? No one. What shepherd would leave the 99 and go searching for the 1? Not one. What person having lost a single coin, upon finding it would host a party and invite all her friends and family to come celebrate with her? No one. And yet this is how ridiculously, how extravagantly, how unconditionally our God loves us! God gives you grace and mercy you don’t deserve. God leaves the 99 to go searching for you. God throws a party every time you repent and experience conversion. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died on the Cross that you might be forgiven and set free.
In as much humility as we can muster today, let us fall to our knees dizzy with gratitude for God’s mercy and grace. Let us revel in our “lastness,” camping out there and praying for greater poverty of spirit. As we do, let us listen for the voice of Love calling us higher, inviting us to a freer and more joyful Christian discipleship. Yes and amen!
Elizabeth Wells