25th Sunday of the Ordinary (Year A)
Scripture: Is. 55: 6-9; Ps. 144: 2-3. 8-9. 17-18; Philippians 1: 20-24, 27; Mt. 20:1-16
Once, Alexander the Great was his way to his palace. As he came near to the city gate, a beggar made a big cry pleading him to give him some copper coins for he had not eaten for many days. Alexander the Great stopped his horse and threw some gold coins at him. The beggar was so happy because these coins would help him to survive throughout his life. The chief commandant was surprised at Alexander’s behaviour. He inquired about why did he give him gold coins instead of copper coins. Alexander replied copper coins were bagger’s request and it suited him. But gold coins suit me and my kingship. Our God is far superior to Alexander the Great. His ways always amuse humanity. His forgiveness surpasses our human understanding. In his benevolence, He shows great mercy.
Today’s liturgy tells us that God works in mysterious ways. In the first reading, Isaiah is talking to the people who are dispirited at the site of the rubbles and pebbles in Jerusalem. The Babylonians had destroyed the whole city of Jerusalem and most importantly the temple. They also knew the reasons why they remained so many years under the captivity of Babylonians. They had displeased God in every sense; by worshipping false gods, living an immoral life, unjust to the weaker section of the society. They were guilty and didn’t know what to do the next. They knew that they deserve punishment. God talks to them with the help of Isaiah. He tells them that God is forgiving, his thoughts and his ways are not human thoughts and ways. God surprised the Israelites later by raising King Cyrus, the Persian (a non-Jew) to destroy the Babylonian empire. God can do anything for his people. Such is our God, his forgiveness surpasses human understanding.
The same theme runs through the Gospel. We hear a parable of the landowner. He goes at different hours to get labourers to work in his vineyard. He goes five times. It shows his interest in hiring people to work in the vineyard. He personally goes out instead of sending his bailiff. Let us look at the minute details that would surprise us the caring heart of the landowner. He goes out five times but the first and the last is highlighted in the parable. It is at daybreak (dawn to 8 a.m.). He promises them a denarius. He goes for the second time. It is at the third hour (9 – 10 a.m.) He promised them fair wages. He then went for the third time. It was a sixth hour (Noon -1 p.m.). He did not promise about wages. He went out for the fourth time. It was a ninth hour (3 – 4 p.m.).Again, he did not promise wages. The labourers believed in the landowner when they went to work. He went for the fifth and last time. It was the eleventh hour (5 – 6 p.m.). He did not promise them anything to them but he questioned them as to why were they standing the whole day idle? They answered him saying, “No one hired us”.
The time came to give their daily wages, the landowner gave equal wages to everyone. As a result, those who came first started grumbling not because they were paid their promised dues but because they felt that the people who came last were paid extra. If we look at the landowner, he would have failed in economics. He had poor reasoning. Is he doing any injustice? No, because he has paid the first group as he promised them. It was his generous heart. The world in which we live believes that the more you work the more you should get. God does not think that way. His ways are not our ways. God is somewhat like this landowner. He looks at everyone equally. The sinners, prostitutes, murderers will inherit the kingdom of God then the scribes and Pharisees who have been praying right from the beginning. Everyone thought that the scribes and Pharisees would inherit the kingdom of God but the sinners would be shunned from the kingdom of heaven. Jesus teaches us that God forgives a person even at the last moment.
Jesus says, “Even the last comer will be forgiven if he truly repents.” We are called to believe in the mercy of God and return to Him. We recently celebrated the feast of Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian on 16th September. St. Cornelius was twenty-first pope and St. Cyprian was the bishop in Rome. They fought against Novatian heresy. Novatian was a priest and called himself Pope. He denied that the Church had any power to reconcile not only the apostates but also those who guilty of murder, adultery, fornication or second marriage. He opposed readmission of Christians who had denied Christ to save their lives. St. Cornelius with the help of St. Cyprian reinforced the teaching of forgiveness to the repentant sinner. He reinstated repentant Christians.
St. Paul believed in the great promise of God’s forgiveness. He himself was a sinner. He had persecuted Christians. Once he turned to Christ, he made Christ his life. He was ready to die so that he would be one with him. He gives us a beautiful message to inherit the kingdom of God. He says, “Avoid anything in your everyday lives that would be unworthy of the gospel of Christ.” Is there anything that makes us unworthy in our day to day life? Do I believe in the forgiveness of God? May this Holy Eucharist help us to believe in the forgiveness in Christ.
