Reflection on the Gospel of the Wednesday In The Twentieth Week In Ordinary Time
Matthew 20:1-16a
Let’s break down a key concept in this passage.
For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
- The key to this passage is the use of the word householder.
- Google/Oxford Languages describes householder as
- a person who owns or rents a house;
- the head of a household.
- So we must not see this passage as dealing with business
- but is telling the story of the Prodigal Father,
- in a different way and wishing to highlight God – Jehovah Jireh/Our Provider
- Trying to tell us that the prodigal Father cares for all
- lazy, or efficient, good or bad
- he cares enough to provide
- deserving or not.
- He lets the day dawn and sun shine on everyone
- without making distinction of those who follow and recognise him or do not want to recognise him or run away from him
- When you understand this
- you understand this story of the Labourers in the Vineyard.
- it is not about being fair
- it is about God being Father
- If is about God not being able to help himself from being who he is always – our Father, in dealing with us.
- He will never deceive us
- but he will also not favour one over the other
- in the sense that he favours those who acknowledging and obey him,
- Versus those who do the opposite.
- It is about God showing us how to be him
- in season and out season
- in good times and bad times
- in being accepted by his children or be rejected by them
- He has to be who HE always IS
- Our Father
- All Good
- All Correct
- Impartial
- Love
- Trusting of us
- Having Faith in us
- If he will do anything even slightly different
- (in this case – not being mindful of providing for the later labourers, and yet pay them, that they are provided for sufficiently)
- then he is not who he has revealed Himself to be in and through Jesus
- Then the image he creates of himself in his children, is not that of who He Is
- And then there is a snow balling effect
- and humanity then will loose its meaning, because it will have lost its Identity
- Humanity’s identity is found in its Creator
- who created everything, based on who HE IS
- and created Humanity in His own likeness and Image.
I suggest you stretch out your hand and ask Jesus to take hold of your hand.
- Thank Him and Appreciate Him for being always there for you.
- Count your blessing lay them side by side before you
- Open your heart to his love for you
- for he has been faithful to you
- provided for you
- and has been patient with you
- Ask God-Father to father you, and make you more like Him
- Transform you
- so you may see him in your life and walk with Him.
