Election day is fast approaching and we’re all getting bombarded by messages from political candidates making all kinds of promises: lower taxes, health care for everyone, more or less government involvement, etc., etc. Suppose a political party made this promise: to introduce a new, revolutionary wage policy. Instead of an hourly pay rate or a salary based on your position, every worker will receive the same daily pay. And, whether you work one hour a day or 16 long hours, you will receive the same wage, sufficient to provide for you and your family’s daily needs.
That platform would go over like a lead balloon, I’m sure. Especially here in America, where we reward hard work with good pay and we admire those who make millions of dollars – much more than they’ll ever need – that political party wouldn’t stand a chance with this proposed wage policy. And yet, it sounds like Jesus is advocating just such a system in today’s Gospel. To understand his message correctly, however, you need to hear two key statements. Jesus begins his parable by saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like…” and ends with two questions: “Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?” Jesus is not introducing a revolutionary wage policy. Rather, he is teaching us about how we are all called to work in building up God’s kingdom and that God will care for us. In a few minutes, we will together pray the Lord’s Prayer where we declare “Thy kingdom come,” and we ask God: “Give us this day our daily bread.” We are asking God to take care of us as we continue the work his son introduced: to bring about God’s kingdom in our midst.
In today’s parable, we hear of day laborers standing in the market place waiting eagerly for a chance to work so they could provide for themselves and their families. The landowner – who, as we can all understand, represents God – goes out throughout the day to call them to work in his vineyard. And, at the end of the day, he gives to each a daily wage, ensuring that they will have enough so that they and their loved ones could live another day.
Of course, the kingdom of heaven, which we are called to build up here on earth, will reach its fulfillment at the end of time when we – who have worked in God’s vineyard during our lives – will be welcomed into heaven where God will care for all of our needs for all of eternity with an abundance that we can’t even imagine. So, like St. Paul in today’s second reading, we recognize that we should “long to depart this life and be with Christ” who now sits at the right hand of our heavenly Father. Like St. Paul, we go on living in the flesh, which means fruitful labor for us. And, we “seek the Lord while he may be found,” as Isaiah exhorts us in today’s first reading.
We don’t know where and when God will call us to work in his vineyard. He does it in various ways every day of our lives – at home, at work at school, early in the day or late in the day. And, we admit that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are our ways God’s ways, as we hear the prophet Isaiah remind us today. I would suggest that these words that we just heard from the prophet Isaiah are among the most revelatory and humbling words in all of Sacred Scripture, and we do well to learn from them, especially now as we continue to navigate through this coronavirus pandemic. They reveal to us God’s greatness and our smallness. God, the almighty, creator of the universe, who holds each of our lives in the palm of his hand, is so far from us that the prophet Isaiah goes on to say, speaking for God: “As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.” And, although these words may cause us to fear God or consider him to be distant, the prophet Isaiah used them to comfort the people of Israel. This prophecy was proclaimed to the ancient Israelite nation while they were in exile, slaves to the Babylonians who had destroyed their beloved city, Jerusalem, along with its mighty temple, and taken them captive. They believed that this had happened to them because they had been unfaithful to God and had turned to worship false gods. Although we do not hear it today, this prophecy goes on to assure the Israelite exiles that God would soon lead them back to Jerusalem. He would provide for all their needs and make them, once again, a great nation as he lived in their midst. In the same way, God will provide for all of our needs and lead us to the heavenly Jerusalem where, as I mentioned a moment ago, he will care for all of our needs for all of eternity with an abundance that is beyond our wildest dreams!
All together, the readings we hear today are a call to humility before God, and an introduction to God’s way of seeing. Isaiah tells us that God’s way will challenge ours — always. Paul then teaches that we can learn God’s ways if we live in Christ; that is, if we follow his way. The practical parable invites us to admit that our automatic responses – like those of the jealous laborers in today’s gospel – are often egocentric and narrow-minded. Like the landowner, God promises to take care of our daily needs if we rely on him and respond generously to his call to work in his vineyard, building up his kingdom here on earth.
As we gather around our Lord’s Table to hear his Word and receive the great gift of spiritual nourishment – the sacred Body and Blood of Christ – let us rededicate ourselves to learning God’s ways, becoming ever more clearly the Body of Christ, and living these important lessons in our daily lives so that everyone who encounters us may come to give thanks to the Lord for his goodness. Let us build up God’s kingdom here on earth as we prepare to be with our God, the almighty, creator of heaven and earth – and our loving Father – for all eternity.