Parable of the Vineyard Laborers

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.  After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage.  Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage.  And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?  Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you.  Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous? So the last will be first and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:1-16)

______________________________________________________________

The proprietor paid the same wages to all workers, an act of mercy and not injustice, representing God, whose grace and mercy are shown on humanity.

Heavenly eternity is the same for every elected. The goof thief on the cross had a moment of repentance and faith in Christ and received heavenly eternity.

______________________________________________________________

The laborers represent people, and the proprietor represents God, who was just to the earliest group of workers, generous to the intermediate groups and compassionate to the latest group. Christ, who will give each person a private audience in the upcoming Illumination of Conscience, is just, generous, and compassionate. The Illumination of Conscience represent God’s Mercy to Humanity.

Christ invites us to Conversion, Penance and Prayer before the Illumination of Conscience.

______________________________________________________________

Emulate God in justice, generosity and compassion.

______________________________________________________________

This entry was posted in English and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.