Listen

“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and give them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and moving on finally to the first.’ When those who were hired at five in the afternoon came, each one received a denarion. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each of them also received a denarion. When they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, ‘These who were hired last worked one hour, and they received the same pay as we did even though we had to work the whole day in the hot sun.’”

Matthew 20:8-12

Think

In the parable we read today, Jesus is speaking about the owner and workers in a vineyard, the hours they worked, and their reward. Interestingly, the owner pays the same wages to those who have worked all day as to those who have worked fewer hours. Imagine how angry the full-time workers felt! But this parable is not about work and reward.

Jesus is trying to show the disciples that you cannot earn God’s love and forgiveness. We do not receive salvation because we deserve it, and we cannot work to earn it. Our forgiveness and salvation come completely from God’s great love and mercy, which God gives freely to everyone who asks.

Jesus wants us to be generous, just as God is generous, not to judge whether others deserve God’s grace or not.

Lynne Prosser

Question to Ponder:

Do you ever think one person is more deserving of God’s love than another?

Pray

Loving God, please help me to think of others as you do. Help me to always be happy when someone finds you, no matter what their past is, and help me to reach out to anyone who needs you. Amen.

Go

Go in the strength God gives you. Be generous, not judgmental toward others, and in this way share God’s love and compassion as you live.