Daily Mass Gospel Reflection - Human Judgement

Word on Fire Ministry ^ | 8-18-2021 | Aux. Bishop R. Barron

[MurphsLaw]

TWENTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

MATTHEW 20:1-16

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the landowner who hires people at various times of the day and then pays everyone the same. Now consider the fact that these workers represent us and the landowner God. From our perspective, there is plenty of injustice, plenty of inexplicable inequity, plenty of infuriating unfairness.

But God knows everything about everything. Our knowledge is comparatively minuscule in both depth and breadth. What we can see of God’s canvas is laughably small. And yet we make bold to declare certain things just or unjust.

Recall the story of the gangster who called for a priest as he lay dying on the street in New York. The priest declared him forgiven, and there was a flood of protest: How could this be fair to all of those who had been good and devout Christians all of their lives?

My ways are not your ways, says the Lord. Let us have the humility to allow God to distribute his graces as he sees fit. And let us not ask “why” in a spirit of rebellion, but “why” in a spirit of awe and expectation.

[MurphsLaw]

+++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.”+++