The Laborers in the Vineyard

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.