An “Unfair” Love

Scripture Reflection for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (September 18, 2011)

Scripture Readings:
Isaiah 55:6-9
Psalm 145
Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a
Matthew 20:1-16a

I grew up with two younger sisters and a little brother. Early on we were taught to do our part to help in the house with different tasks, like washing the dishes, emptying the dishwasher or cleaning everybody’s shoes. Thinking back I am impressed with our sensibility for justice even at a very young age. We would always keep an eye on each other to make sure we all did our share and received the same amount of rewards. “That’s not fair!” was an expression that my mom got to hear a lot every time we thought that another one was favored.

“That’s not fair!” was probably what Jesus heard after sharing this parable with his disciples. Why should the laborers, who worked only for a couple of hours at the end of the day, receive the same payment as the ones who have been working the entire day? Where is the landowner’s sense of justice?

It is clear that this story is not a moral lesson about labor relations, but an image for God’s generous love for all human beings. We always think that those workers have been lazy all day. But it’s not really true. Maybe they were trying really hard to find a job – not an unusual situation, even in our times. They were desperately waiting the whole day for someone to hire them, but they weren’t given a chance. Maybe they were older than the others, weaker, less skilled or just had bad luck. But they still had a family to feed and children to take care of. And after a long day of waiting in the sun, they finally got their chance, literally at the last minute. And something unexpected happened to them: They are being paid a whole day’s wage! After all, they would be able to bring home some food in the evening. Is this just? What is justice? That people are being rewarded for what they do? Or that everybody can cover their basic needs?

Our society teaches us that we should be rewarded for what we do and achieve. But God’s logic is different. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways,” we heard in the first readings. God’s love is not a “reward” that we have to merit. God is generous to all and gives everybody a chance. That’s exactly what Jesus shows us with his ministry: Jesus gives tax collectors and prostituted an equal share with the righteous in the kingdom of God.

We have to be careful not to identify too easily with the workers who have been hired first. Like them we can be tempted to feel too self-righteous about ourselves and consider others as less perfect.

The parable shows that God is generous to everyone. “The Lord is near to all who call upon him,” says the Psalm. God doesn’t exclude anyone and pours out his love whether a person deserves it or not. God doesn’t want our deeds, God wants our hearts. In front of God we are all like the “workers of the last hour”. We all depend on God’s love and mercy. We all know about our limits and shortcomings in living out the Gospel message of love. We know that we haven’t always been faithful to our call to discipleship. We should be relieved that God’s ways are not “fair” and that God’s justice does not mean that people get what they deserve, but that we all get a full share of God’s immense love.

As we gather for the Eucharist this Sunday, let us remember Jesus’ generous love for each one of us; a love that doesn’t have limits and doesn’t exclude anyone. Let us be grateful to this God who is always near to us. And let us go out to bring God’s love to others, especially to those who seem to be “unworthy” – to the sick, the mentally disabled, the unemployed and the homeless, so that nobody feels excluded from God’s generosity.

Image: `The Labourers in the Vineyard` by Rembrandt. Panel, 1637. Leningrad, The Hermitage. (www.BiblePictureGallery.com)