Homily For The 25th Sunday In The Ordinary Time, Year A. September 24, 2023.
“…Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money”?
“Do not lose heart, even if you should discover that you lack the qualities necessary for the work to which you are called. He who called you will not desert you, but the moment you are in need He will stretch out His saving hand.” – St. Angela Merici
Sunday Readings
My Dearest Friends in Christ,
Today we have gathered to listen and to be taught by God Himself through His life-changing words. Today, we have to appreciate the fact that God does not want anyone to be idle and that our work here on earth has one great reward which is eternal life.
We have often complained about being disfavoured or treated badly because others have the same opportunities as we do. We think we deserve more than others simply because we see ourselves as having worked more or sacrificed more than them. Frequently, we grudgingly accept what we think to be unfair while remaining ungrateful for that opportunity many others never had. If you have ever searched for a job for months without getting one, then you will appreciate the landowner’s generosity in hiring everyone at different times and His equal wage to all.
In a country such as the US where labor is calculated in hours spent, it would be absurd, unimaginable, and even illegal to pay those equally that worked all day and those who worked only an hour. In fact, the job recruiter could be sued for the unjust treatment of his workers. However, In the economy of salvation and in our relationship with God, things work differently. The scandal of the gospel parable is that we are all equal recipients of God’s gifts. The scandal of our faith is that we are often covetous and jealous when God’s gifts of forgiveness and life are given to others in equal measure. The paradox of Christian life is that the first shall be the last and the last shall be the first. The “first-come, first-serve” principle, does not apply here. So excessive is God’s propensity to give and care, it violates our instincts about fairness. Such generosity looks rash. Yet God does give the complaining workers exactly what He promised them.
In the first reading, the Prophet Isaiah reminds us to seek the face of God while He may still be found. This prophetic oracle underlies the fact that time may no longer be on our side if we keep basking in the affluence of a sinful life, thinking we have eternity to repent and turn to God. That time may never come. NOW is the right time. When you breathe your last, your time is up. Are you idle, or do you work for your salvation now when you have time to seek God and find Him? Have you done enough penance to expiate the eternal punishments due to your confessed sins? “The soul is like a vineyard, which, neglected by laziness, produces nothing but thistles.” (St. Basil the Great, “Regulae Previous”, p.442)
Those who do nothing about their spiritual life in terms of drawing closer to God and conducting themselves in a way worthy of the Gospel, as Paul instructs us in the second reading, are idling away their time. An idle soul is one that does not seek to engage in the life of God. An idle soul is one who is passive in spiritual things rather than active. Being passive means that the person is somewhat indifferent to matters of faith and morality. There is little interest in these areas and, as a result, very little effort is given to them. Do not delight the evil one by being idle in your spiritual life. Become zealous, passionate, hard-working, diligent, and committed to the path of holiness. ( cf. Faustina’s Diary #1127).
The parable paints the picture that the landowner, who is God, had an inexhaustible supply of work for those who wanted to work. The impression is that the landowner was surprised to find people idle because he had plenty of work to give them. The scripture says, “The labor is indeed rich but laborers are few.” (cf. Mathew 9:37) So, how can we be idle or say no one has hired us when the harvest is rich? God dislikes idleness because an idle soul is the devil’s workshop. For this reason, God extends His invitation to everyone, going out at different times of the day, which correlates with various periods in salvation history, to hire workers to work in His vineyard. There is so much work to be done for God. Our world needs men and women who will be committed to promoting the sacredness of life, peace, justice, love, equity, and all the values of the Gospel. These values are fast disappearing in our world, leading to a culture of death, discrimination, injustice, and hatred. We must all work together to rebuild our world and restore creation to the Glory of God. Paul warns about idleness, “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.” (2 Thes. 3:6)
Think of it, at the dawn of the history of salvation, God called Abraham, and in the last days, the Apostles. Each worked for the growth of God’s kingdom and for their own salvation. Some like Paul worked more than others. (cf. 1 Cor 15:10) Abraham exemplified his good works by his faith. The Apostles did the same through their teachings and they paid the price with their blood. Both Abraham, who was first called, and the Apostles who were called centuries later, all got the same reward of eternal life.“You are rewarded not according to your work or your time but according to the measure of your love.”
–St. Catherine of Sienna
God rebuked the laborers who started work in the morning for complaining about His generosity to others and for their envy and resentment. “Are you envious because I am generous?” We too often find ourselves envious of God’s blessings on others. God is a generous giver and decides how He blesses each one of us. It does not matter how much you have toiled but do remember God does not cheat anyone. He is a God of equity and justice. So, don’t feel you have been unjustly deprived of God’s blessings. The scripture tells us, “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat, for He blesses those He loves while they slumber.” (cf. Psalm 127:2)
Peter wanted to know what they would get in return (cf. Mathew 19:27). Through this parable, Jesus assured Peter and the disciples that they would be rewarded. The principle of many who are first will be last and the last first (Matthew 19:30) meant that God may not reward as man expects.
May we shun every form of idleness and envy. Engage yourself mentally and spiritually in doing your daily work, building up your spiritual life, and working for the growth of God’s kingdom. May He who called you by His name, sustain and strengthen you and reward you with everlasting life in the end. Amen.
I keep you and your family always in my prayers. ©Clem C. Aladi (2024)
