Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: August 23, 2023

Date in the Ordine: Wednesday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture Text: Matthew 20:1-16

Jesus told his disciples this parable: "The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.' So they went off. And he went out again around noon, and around three o'clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o'clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard.'

When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.' When those who had started about five o'clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, 'These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day's burden and the heat.' He said to one of them in reply, 'My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?' Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last."

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

Today’s gospel recounts Jesus’ use of parable of the laborers in the vineyard to teach of the loving and gracious mercy of the LORD and the truth that there is one salvation offered for all. Salvation is salvation, whether we come to the LORD early in our lives or late, the eternal reward of life in abundance is the same. The LORD offers us salvation and when we receive it, we do not compare it to what others receive based on their efforts. We are in no position to question the LORD’s generosity and mercy toward another when we ourselves rely upon it.

There is a second element to the parable that many miss. When the landowner came out at different times to the marketplace, he found “new” individuals. They weren’t there earlier. This is especially clear with the last hires who told the landowner they were idle because no one hired them. We come to faith at different times. At times it is because we are not exposed to faith or to the truth about our one loving and merciful LORD. At other times it is because we choose not to seek until we are older, meaning we are not at the “marketplace.”

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

Where am I in my acceptance of our LORD’s offer of mercy and salvation? Am I accepting and willing to enter into relationship with the LORD as a laborer for the LORD’s divine design? Or am I hanging back, waiting, focusing on other things? Have I intentionally chosen not to show up at “the marketplace”?

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, Beloved Son, Most Holy Spirit, we come before You this day aware of your generous mercy and offer of salvation and life in abundance with You. Help us to embrace fully your invitation to be a laborer in your vineyard. Keep us from the errors of entitlement or privilege reminding us that love was most perfectly manifested on Calvary when salvation came to us from the Father, through the Son, in the Spirit. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.