September 21, 2014

25^th Sunday in Ordinary Time A

Isaiah 55:6-9; Philippians 1: 20-24, 27; Matthew 20: 1-16
In her book, Arrows: The Arrows of God, Megan McKenna calls parables “the arrows of God” because “”they pierce us and make us painfully aware of our need to change the way we relate to ourselves, others, and God. We look—and we see. This is how we must live in God’s kingdom. We are called, and we know ourselves called.”
It seems that so often when I read a parable for the first time, I react to the situation, instead of seeing that this parable is meant for me and for each person. Today’s parable is a perfect example of this. Loads of reactions are made: Well Jesus certainly would never have been a successful business person! There is a lot of unfairness in this parable! Where is Jesus’ justice? Why should each person make the same amount of money? What was Jesus thinking about? I would be furious if I had worked all day.”
And Jesus asks at the end of the passage His reflection for each person:
“Are you envious because I am generous?”
Maybe a good question to ask is why do I view myself as the person who worked all day? Why do I view myself as the first in line? Why do I view that I should be taken care of first? Why do I view myself when I make a prayer or ask a favor that I am first in line and should be answered immediately? Why do I have this glorified opinion of myself in comparison to all the rest of God’s creations?
Maybe I should re-read this parable and place myself at the middle of the pack…how would I feel bringing home that BIG pay check that was a complete surprise. Then I should read it one more time and view myself as one of the workers who only worked one hour. I’m sure these people would be pleased to bring home just a little money. Would that money be enough for a meal, or medicine? Probably not, but it was something and how surprised would I be in bringing in such a huge paycheck home to family. There would be dancing and celebrating in that home tonight. Do I celebrate at the end of each day when I review the day and see how present God has been and the gifts He has given me?
It is good to see this parable in context: in a previous encounter, a rich young man had gone away from Jesus ‘sad’ because he could not bring himself to give away all that he possessed and follow Jesus. Then the disciples are interested in themselves and Peter expresses what I’m sure the others were thinking: “We have given up everything and followed You. What will there be for us?”
It’s very interesting that at the end of this passage Jesus says, “But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” And at the end of the Workers in the Vineyard parable Jesus says after “Are you envious because I am generous?” “Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” These two passages are reversed, why? What is their meaning? The commentary in the footnote in the New American Bible explains: “Different interpretations have been given to this saying…it may be that the meaning is that all who respond to the call of Jesus, at whatever time (first or last) will be the same in respect to inheriting the benefits of the kingdom, which is the gift of God.”

This past summer, I had the privilege to go the annul week long Scriptural Institute at Merisercordia University in Pennsylvania. One of the presenters was Dr. Bonnie Bowman Thurston, a scholar and teacher. In her book Preaching Mark she puts this parable in perspective and presents a very cogent reflection. “’The first will be last and the last will be first’ is a piece of folk wisdom used by Jesus in different contexts in Matthew, Mark, and Luke…It seems to suggest that the disciples, because they have given up much to follow Jesus, should not, therefore, assume they will be first in His kingdom. In his very interesting commentary from the point of view of Mahayana Buddhism, John Keenan notes that the disciples must abandon not only wealth, self, and family for the sake of the good news, but also ‘the very hope of rewards.’ ‘There is no quid pro quo here, as if one earns the result by performance of an act of enunciation. To abandon things in the context of self is merely to strengthen one’s sense of self and will in no wise avoid self-clinging. This is why those who think themselves to be first, to be already disciples and followers of Christ will be last.’ ‘To possess eternal life is to abandon all attempts to possess anything. It is that insight into emptiness that allows one to follow the commandments, not a means to earn eternal life, but as conventional paths of practice which point beyond those paths to the silent mystery of God.’

As the lectionaries indicate (or allow) these passages are best preached as a unit of material. Only in that approach is it clear that much more than wealth or material possessions is at issue. If only one passage is treated, it is much too easy to rationalize ‘I’m never going to be really wealthy, so this passage has nothing to say to me.’ In fact, the passage asks that we consider what are our greatest obstacles to entering the kingdom? To what do we cling that we should be willing to let go of? Perhaps, it may be our sense of ourselves as disciples of Jesus! Do we think that by our various renunciations or our acceptance of persecution for Jesus and for the sake of the gospel we have “EARNED” the kingdom/salvation? If so, we may find “in the age to come” that we were very much mistaken. The sermon that plumbs the spiritual depths of this passage goes well beyond the matter of wealth and possessions.”
God’s ways are not my ways. God doesn’t play by the world’s rules. God doesn’t see people the way that I do. He loves all. When I want to get even, He forgives. When I want to not be bothered, God wants to help. When I want to be judgmental of the actions of others, He wants to comfort and heal. When I want to avoid, He goes right in to bring help. In today’s parable, we are in the territory of God’s kingdom when we realize the generosity of the Landowner God who reaches out to all, the last called as well as the first. Jesus is telling us that God is present to the people who are poor, sick, disabled; that the tax collectors and the prostitutes all have equal access. So I reflect on:

• How do I react when I see others suffering from prejudice or injustice? What if I was a part of the group suffering?
  
• Deep down, how do I feel about this parable? Have I ever received something I didn’t earn?
  
• How different are my thoughts from God’s? Is God’s generosity challenging or consoling?
  
• What undeserved gifts have shown God’s generosity and love for me?
  

Sacred Space 2014 shares:

“The human mind suspects injustice, while the heart of God sees only an opportunity to be generous. Help me, Lord, to let go of my presumptions so that I may see as You do and act freely from a full heart.

The generosity of God calls us to be generous too; any judgment that is based on nationality, income, or education is just too narrow and shuts God out.”