Wednesday
21st August, 2019. Read Judges 9:6-15, Psalm 21 and Matthew 20:1-16)_
_“If in
good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my
shade; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of
Lebanon.” *(Judges 9:15)*_
In
yesterday’s Gospel passage, Peter asked Jesus, “We have left everything to
follow you, what then is there for us?” and in response, Jesus mentioned two
kinds of rewards; seats in heaven and hundredfold returns of all that was left
for the sake of God’s kingdom. Going further, Jesus gave us the parable of the
Landowner to explain to Peter what it means to leave everything behind for the
sake of God’s kingdom. This parable highlights God’s impartiality and the basic
equality of all men.
As Saint
Paul would say: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So
neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the
growth. He who plants and he who waters are equal, and each shall receive his
wages according to his labour.” (1st Corinthians 3:6-9).
Like the
workers who were recruited for work in the vineyard at different times of the
day, we are not all gifted the same way, we were not all born the same day, and
we did not come to know God the same day. However, in the end, we all shall be
rewarded not according to how much work we have done but according to what is
rightfully our due. In other words, no one has any reason to boast or look down
on others.
Jesus says:
“The last will be first, and the first will be last.” The essence of the
Christian life is COLLABORATION, not COMPETITION. Each is called to give his or
her maximum capacity to achieve the good of all. In today’s first reading,
Jotham narrated a very beautiful story.
Once upon a time, the trees came for a meeting
to elect a king from among them. The olive turned down the offer, as it felt
its oil was too precious. It refused to give away his talent, same with the fig
tree, who felt his fruits were too delicious, the vine tree as well, because of
its wonderful wine. Eventually, they had to settle for the bramble tree who
seemingly had nothing of value.
Everyone
is a bundle of talents. We have all been blessed in different ways but when we
refuse to deploy our gifts and talents for the common good, when we hide under
the cover of mediocrity, when we are not ready to sacrifice that which is
precious inside us for the sake of others, our society suffers. On the other
hand, when we go about engaging in superiority-fights, when we begin to find
ways of pulling others down, when we intentionally spread unverified rumours
about others just because we are jealous of their talents, our society even
suffers the more.
Can u
sing? Then sing for God. Can you talk very well? Then start making speeches for
God. Can you write? Then start writing for God. Can you pray for people? Then
begin today to use your gift to promote God’s kingdom. Find something to do for
God. Put your talents to work for the vineyard of God. Do not do it for the
sake of reward. Do not be like the servants who expected to receive more because
they were hired earlier. Just offer yourself freely for God’s service and never
envy nor look down on anyone.
Let us
pray: Lord Jesus, use me till there is nothing left. Amen.
Pope Pius
X, pray for us. Amen
*Be Happy.
Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Wednesday
of the 20th week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Judges 9:6-15, Psalm 21 and
Matthew 20:1-16).
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