ILIZWI REFLECTIONS
BIBLE SUNDAY
Sunday 24th September 2023
25th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Isaiah 55:6–9
Psalm 145:2–3, 8–9, 17–18
Philippians 1:20c–24, 27a
Matthew 20:1–16a
“IT’S NOT FAIR”
Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous? (Mat 20:14f)
“It’s not fair”, is one of the frequent statements we have said or heard from others. Today the Word of God challenges us on our value system of what is fair or not fair.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor my ways your ways … For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours…” (v.8-9). These poetic words by Isaiah the prophet in the 1st reading are fulfilled by Jesus in the parable.
The word used for “my thoughts” in the 1st reading is hasab – a term for accounting, mathematics. God is saying that my accounting, my maths is not like your maths.
The context of the parable is grapes harvesting. Heavy rains could spoil the harvest. So the landowner in the morning would check the skies to see if it is threatening to rain and so hire some workers to harvest. When he goes out later and sees the sky is more threatening, he hires more workers and would do this till he is sure to beat the rain!
The concern for the vineyard is what makes this landowner go at different hours to employ people.
Here we already see the difference between the landowner and the workers. The workers are only concerned about their daily wage, not the vineyard. The vineyard had a lifespan of upto 100 years. The criteria of fairness is different. The landowner sees that bigger picture, not just for today, but for 100 yrs to come! This is the same with God in our life.
However, humanly speaking, if we were also one of those who worked for 8 or 5 hours in the parable, we would shout “it’s not fair” to receive the same wage as those who worked for an hour. This mathematics is not fair!
In the context of high rate of unemployment at the time of Jesus, the landowner is simply giving to each person what was necessary for the daily needs. The landowner ensures that everyone goes to their families happy. This is God’s maths, it is about the bigger picture.
An insight into the parable. The 3rd, 6th, 9th hours (9am, 12 noon, 3pm) where the laborers are called, are times for Jewish prayer. The 11th hour (5pm) is not the time for prayer. This makes this group to be the odd one out and it is called the last group (v.14).
The first group represents the Jews, to whom the message of salvation was first announced. The 2nd group represents all of us, who have received the message later.
However, God is saying for both groups, the reward is the same in heaven. This is God’s accounting! And this is fair.
On this Sunday, Bible Sunday, the prophet Isaiah is imploring us to “seek the Lord while he may be found” (v.6). The word for seek used here means research, scientific research. It is not that of simply looking for a lost coin in the room, but proper research. The place we can seek this Lord is the Scriptures.
Many of us are educated in our different fields. However, we are ignorant when it comes to the Bible. Today we are being invited to take every opportunity to study the Word of God.
This study of the Word, is to be reflected in a life of repentance and conversion (v.7 1st reading) and conducting ourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ (v.27 2nd reading). It is only then we can understand God’s own ways which are not like our ways, God’s maths, God’s fairness.
In love with the Divine Word
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