25th Sunday in ordinary time year A
This is a homily for 25th sunday in ordinary time year A. Was the master of the vineyard justified to pay each one dinaris?
Fr. Wekesa Fred
9/18/20264 min read
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
1st Reading: Isaiah 55:6-9
Psalms: Psalm 145
2nd Reading: Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a
Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16a
The last will be the first…
Dear brothers and sisters, this is a Sunday homily for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A. This Sunday’s liturgical readings orient us to reflect on what is expected from us who are in the kingdom of God. Of course, there are some surprises, such as the five groups of people employed to work in the vineyard, but they received the same salary at the end of the day. Looking at this scenario, was the first group of workers who worked from morning justified in receiving the same salary as those who came in the evening? What are the two questions that this parable tries to answer in relation to the kingdom of God? Finally, what is to be considered in this Sunday homily for the 25th Sunday would be the meaning of “the last will be the first and the first will be the last”.
On this 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, the Gospel passage is taken from Matthew 20:1-16. It is about the kingdom of God, which is likened to a landowner who hires workers to work in his vineyard. Before all else, one may wonder, what and where is this kingdom of God? Is the kingdom of God only for those who are in church, or those who believe, or those who are converted? Here is the reality: I am convinced that when Christ reigns in our hearts, when Christ influences our way of life, and when Christ is put at the centre of everything in life, we can confidently talk of being in the kingdom of God. In summary, following this parable from the Gospel about the Kingdom of God, it aims to answer two important questions, namely: 1. What happens in the kingdom of God? and 2. What is expected or the salary expected in the kingdom of God?
Let us explore first, What happens in the kingdom of God. These are the happenings or events that take place in the kingdom of God. In the kingdom of God, there is a landowner who represents God and who calls or invites the five groups of people to work in the vineyard. More specifically, there is a first group that was invited or called early in the morning; the second group was hired at the 3rd hour, the 3rd group was hired at the 6th hour, the fourth group was hired at the 9th hour, and finally, the 5th group was hired at the 11th hour to work in the vineyard too. The landowner hiring many workers all day long shows two things: There is a lot of work in the vineyard to be done and The desire of the landowner to involve everyone to work in his vineyard. When we apply these happenings from the parable to a real-life situation, we find out that God calls each one of us in different ways, at different times, to work in the vineyard. For example, today, we have priests, religious men and women, and catechists who spread the Word of God; however, God will continue calling others in the coming days and in the coming years to serve him in his vineyard. In fact, there is a continuous invitation to work and serve in the kingdom of God.
The second question that the parable from the Gospel text of today tries to answer is about the expectations or the rewards for those who are working in the kingdom of God. The five groups of people who worked in the vineyard were hired at different times of the day; however, at the end of the day, when evening came, they were all paid one denarius. Was it just to pay the first group who were hired in the morning, worked under the sun until evening, only to be paid one denarius? Yes, it is a justified wage because there was an agreement with the landowner. Here is what is said: “he made an agreement with the workers for one denarius a day”. Following keenly the events from this parable, we notice that discontentment arose at the time of payment, that is to say, the first group who were not happy to have been paid the same amount as those who came last, just at the 11th hour.
What does same salary payment for all workers mean to us as Christians today? It simply means that all Christians who are baptized—priests, religious men and women, bishops, deacons, lay people and many others—are expected to receive only one thing at the end of time in heaven, that is, to earn eternal life. It does not matter whether you are baptized today or you will be baptized tomorrow, or you will be ordained tomorrow, or whatever; the expectation is to get eternal life as our final salary. I am convinced beyond doubt that the reason why I became a priest is not to drive a good car, not to eat well, not to drink well, and not to dress well, but actually to serve the people of God and, at the end of it all, to gain eternal life.
What lessons can we learn from this parable about the kingdom of God?
Our final salary for every Christian here on earth who belongs to the kingdom of God will be eternal life.
There is work for everyone in the kingdom of God. This explains why the landowner hired many workers all day long to work in the vineyard.
Let us maintain a good relationship based on respect, love and understanding for one another. Let us not behave like the first group of workers who were jealous towards the last group of workers because they were paid the same amount of salary.
Finally, let us speak about social justice and practice this social justice in our world today. For instance, in some countries, as it is now, prices of things have gone up, but the employers have not increased their salaries. Let us practice social justice as Christians today because all of us want to gain that one final salary, which is eternal life.
To conclude, on this 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, the last will be the first because of service. Let us be first in terms of serving others and be last in terms of being served. AMEN.
HAVE A BLESSED SUNDAY!!!!