The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to consider addressing the needs of all in our community especially when that seems to be in tension with increasing our personal abundance.
All to have full life
In the Book of Judges, the parable of the trees cautions our choice of leaders like Abimelech as king.
* [9:9] Whereby gods and human beings are honored: olive oil had a variety of cultic uses (e.g., Lv 2:1, 6, 15; 24:2), and it was also used in the consecration of priests and kings for office (e.g., Ex 30:25, 30; 1 Sm 10:1; 16:13). * [9:13] Cheers gods: wine was part of a number of types of offerings in the Israelite cult (cf. Ex 29:40; Lv 23:13; Nm 15:7, 10), and it was also used widely in the worship of foreign gods (cf. Dt 32:37–38; Is 65:11).1
Psalm 21 is a thanksgiving for victory.
* [Psalm 21] The first part of this royal Psalm is a thanksgiving (Ps 21:2–8), and the second is a promise that the king will triumph over his enemies (Ps 21:9–13). The king’s confident prayer (Ps 21:3–5) and trust in God (Ps 21:8) enable him to receive the divine gifts of vitality, peace, and military success. Ps 21:14 reprises Ps 21:2. When kings ceased in Israel after the sixth century B.C., the Psalm was sung of a future Davidic king.2
In the Gospel of Matthew, the parable of Labourers in the Vineyard underlines that compassion and mercy are key in addressing the survival needs of all.
* [20:1–16] This parable is peculiar to Matthew. It is difficult to know whether the evangelist composed it or received it as part of his traditional material and, if the latter is the case, what its original reference was. In its present context its close association with Mt 19:30 suggests that its teaching is the equality of all the disciples in the reward of inheriting eternal life.3
Luis Rodriguez, S.J. comments that today’s Gospel reading presents us with a disproportion, It is between what we can do and the reward offered for what we do. In both situations there is no one-to-one correspondence and today the Lord is telling us that the reward will never be less than promised and that we do not have to earn strictly our recompense.
The problem on our side in accepting such disproportion seems to be to lie on a contract understanding of our relationship to God. In a contract, everything has to be clearly specified, if it is going to hold, and that is why contracts include a fair amount of small print to cover all foreseeable eventualities. But God is calling us to a covenant relationship based on a spirit, not on a legally binding agreement. The moment we start looking at who is doing more than who, as the vineyard workers did, we are back to contract, to one-to-one correspondence. God, the master of the vineyard, thinks covenant, while the workers think contract. Jesus tells us: seek first the kingdom of God... within yourselves and let things flow from a covenant relationship. Never mind what others do or “how late they came to the vineyard.”4
Don Schwager comments that God is generous in opening the doors of his kingdom to all who will enter, both those who have labored a life-time for him and those who come at the last hour.
While the reward is the same, the motive for one's labor can make all the difference. Some work only for reward. They will only put in as much effort as they think they will get back. Others labor out of love and joy for the opportunity to work and to serve others. The Lord Jesus calls each one of us to serve God and his kingdom with joy and zeal and to serve our neighbor with a generous spirit as well. (copyright © 2021 Servants of the Word, source: dailyscripture.net, author Don Schwager)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 20:1-16 suggests that when we look at someone and conclude that they are more beautiful or smarter or more talented than we are, jealousy can creep in. When we notice someone who seems more successful or richer, we become discontented with our own lives. Instead of seeing the gifts that God has given us and thinking about developing them, we focus on getting what someone else has. We might even feel worthless. In the end, we are not seeing ourselves as God sees us, and that robs us of joy.
So beware of unhealthy comparison in your life. If you find yourself going down that road, ask the Lord to help you turn around. Break the downward spiral of discontent by writing down a blessing you’ve received. Or take a minute to praise God for creating you and sustaining you. Trade grumbling for gratitude, and you will start to find joy right where you are. “Thank you, Lord, for all blessings you’ve given me! Give me a grateful and joyful heart.”6
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the poor choices against tradition that made Abimelech king. Choosing leaders without considering their record or motives can lead us away from a good life. Friar Jude reminds us that we consider all those who enter their heavenly reward to be equally blessed by God.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, is struck by the deep awe, reverence, and devotion that modern artist and Christian Makoto Fujimura brings to his creative process. In these touching passages, Fujimura describes how he takes inspiration from the Gospel story of the “woman with the alabaster jar,” who anoints Jesus’ head with oil (see Mark 14:3).
I consider my art to be a devotional act, a memorial in response to this woman’s act [in Mark 14]. I use precious materials such as azurite, malachite, and gold. I have done many paintings and installations based on this passage. . . . “Truly I tell you,” he said to the disciples, “wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her” [Mark 14:9].7
We journey in life with the tension between our own aspirations and our sense of just deserts and the example of Jesus to teach reversal of our norms to bring full life to all people.
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