“The last will be first, and the first will be last.” Matthew 20:1-16
We are continuing this week with Jesus’ Parables. This Sunday we hear the Vineyard parable where the landowner hires people to work in his fields, but he pays them all the same no matter how long they worked. The very upset men who worked the longest, wanted more pay, because that seems fair, right? Jesus thought otherwise.
When I hear this parable, I often think of kids and parenting. The oldest child gets everything first because, well they were first, but then comes along the sibling and they get everything the older child gets because “it’s fair” (but in reality as parents we know we do not want to hear the younger one whine!). Typically, at this point we hear the oldest whine that it is not fair that their younger sibling got the same special treat, let’s say an iPad, because they had to wait forever. Know the story? Lived the story? I think it is the one parable that we live day in and day out and can resonate with so much.
Let’s look at what Jesus wants us to learn from this parable…
The oldest child was first; God created it that way, just like He called the first vineyard workers to the line. Then comes the second child, and God created it this way too, just like the later-in-the-day vineyard workers. Both are equal; neither child, nor groups of workers, are different or more special than the other. God created us all the same and Jesus wants that to be highlighted in this parable. We are all the same, just because some of us showed up first, and some of us showed up later does not mean that we should be treated, or paid, unfairly. Like if we were tardy to school, or late to a meeting, doesn't mean you don't get to learn that day or get treated the same by the teacher or your co-workers. We were all created in God’s image and likeness and should be treated that way.
In creating the first shall be last and the last shall be first, we are opening up a door for all humans to be treated the same way. We are not saying one person is better or more deserving than anyone else. The person on the street is not less than me, and the person in the high rise penthouse is not greater than me, nor is the person who grew up Catholic is not more knowledgeable or more religious than the person who discovered faith later on in life.
This summer I have been watching shows that have been on for years, and one of them was Superstore. In one episode a store worker dies and the deceased leaves one of her co-workers a thousand dollars. In trying to be fair he gives the money to a person he thought was closer to the store worker who died. That person takes the money to his pastor and his pastor tells him for $500 dollars the deceased gets to go to the first part of Heaven and for the full $1,000 the deceased can get to the best part of Heaven. I have to chuckle at this ponzi scheme because at the end of the day we will all meet God at the gates of Heaven and it doesn’t matter if we were first to the gate or last to the gate, or if we were homeless, or richer than God. God loves us all and we all are first and last in His eyes.
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Prayer for a Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart … I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Join us on September 16 from 7-8pm to discuss how we are created in God's Image and Likeness from the vertical Yahweh, which as you can see makes a person (SO cool!) We will watch videos and discuss from Fr. Casey and Rabbi Shapiro.
Sep
16
Created in God's Image and Likeness
7-8pm Join with Google Meet Code: xbq-vdjq-onb
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