The owner went out at midday, and, again, at three in the afternoon, and he made the same offer. Again he went out,
at the last working hour—the eleventh—and he saw others standing around. So he said to them, ‘Why do you stand idle the whole day?’
They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ The master said, ‘Go, and work in my vineyard.’ When evening came,
the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wage, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’
Those who had gone to work at the eleventh hour came up, and were each given a silver coin. When it was the turn of the first,
they thought they would receive more. But they, too, received one silver coin. On receiving it, they began to grumble against the landowner.
They said, ‘These last, hardly worked an hour; yet, you have treated them the same as us, who have endured the heavy work of the day and the heat.’
The owner said to one of them, ‘Friend, I have not been unjust to you. Did we not agree on one silver coin per day? So, take what is yours and go.
I want to give to the last the same as I give to you. Don’t I have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Why are you envious when I am kind?’
So will it be: the last will be first, the first will be last.”
LECTIO DIVINA:
Read: God asks us to embrace His ways not the ways of the world. He is a father who does not measure his love according to human standards.
Reflect: God’s wealth is not a limited capital that requires proper labor to justly get good returns. God’s wealth is an unlimited resource.
It is not diminished even if given away. We can translate this to a family situation.
A parent’s love is not wasted even if his or her children have different degrees of loving in return. Some children make parents proud,
some test their patience. Others need years to finally see it. God’s love is not a salary waiting for work.
It is an embrace openly waiting for everyone to come in.
Pray: We pray for those who have not recognized the love and sacrifices done by people to them.
Act: Do not stop showing your care to your children, friends, and other significant people even if you are the only one loving.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2020