Ezekiel 34: 1-11,
Ps 23:1-3a.3b-4.5.6,
Matthew 20: 1-16a Full Readings
Are You Happy with someone's Success?
Today's Gospel presents to us a landowner who hired the workers at different times, morning, mid morning, afternoon and late evening at eleventh hour. Starting with the ones who came at eleventh hour, he gave all of them one denarii but the workers who came in the morning, received it with ungrateful hearts and complained about why they got the same wage as those who came late. The master asked them, are you envious because I am generous?
Today's Gospel would be interpreted as an unfair one as we all long for the fairness in our lives. But it's quite unfortunate that it happened like this, however, the question of the land owner, have I not a right to do what I like with my own? best describes how God renders his justice and his love. God does whatever he wills and above all he needs everyone saved. And so anybody who comes to him is welcomed without any discrimination. That's why he says that a shepherd will leave ninety nine and goes to look for one and when he gets it, there is a party.
Brethren, God chooses to bless us the way he wants and even according to our needs. So if he blesses your friend like you or even more than you, are you happy for his or her success or you become envious as some labourers we see in the Gospel today did?
Jesus tells us that the first and last workers in the vineyard were paid the “daily wage.” So, too, the first and last into the Kingdom of heaven will receive the “daily wage,” which is eternal life. When we consider the parable in this light, our hearts, far from being burdened by jealousy, are set on fire to zealously invite other souls to the vineyard so that they, too, can receive this totally gratuitous and unwarranted gift of God. God's offer of eternal life is open to anyone who comes in at any time and so there is no need to be jealous of one another for all of us if we are pleasing to God shall get eternal life.
However, brethren, this should not be our point of departure, to wait and come to God at the last minute, you may miss Him or you may find it's late. It is always good to go early and meet God. Even those who go early will have more sweetness and taste of God than those who come late in the evening.
Reflect today on your attitude towards other people’s success. Do you have jealousy and envy and sometimes fail even to bring others also to experience God? Pray for the Holy Spirit to always give you a grateful heart for whatever you have.
Let us pray.
Give us grateful hearts O Lord so that we may always be contented with what we have as while wishing others well and being happy for their success. Amen.
Be blessed
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