Gospel Reflections for September 24 2017
Got financial advice?
I hope this Gospel can help …but the story of a farmer paying the same wage to workers who arrive at the end of the day to those who have worked all day long doesn’t seem fair! He is paying too much to latecomers who do not deserve it. Who would be that generous?
Every family should think carefully about expenses and focus on important things, like food, clothing, and shelter. We know money is limited so we should always stay realistic. Wise families carefully discern the essentials they need most, and I see families at St. Bruno do that well …that’s good news!
So why does Jesus present this farmer to us? Perhaps we should know what the “money” in this Gospel actually is. Jesus means a different kind of “coin” and it is love, not cash, and His love has no limits. You would certainly expect to pay more cash to a worker who has been working all day than one who has just arrived, but love is different than cash.
When we love as Jesus loves that kind of love is limitless. After all. parents love a newborn child the same as older children who have been around for years. God is generous with His love as parents are for all their children no matter when they arrive!
Real love is practical about basics like food, clothing, and shelter. I believe our parish must show that practical love as well.
In the months to come we will start new ministries that offer concrete help to people of all ages: A new Volunteer Program to help find God’s plan for you, an even larger University Series adult educational program to know Jesus even more, and a new website with more information to help us be happier, healthier, and holier.
St. Bruno each week always offers the Eucharist as the practical “spiritual food” we need, the Church as the “shelter” we need, and knowledge of Our Lord, as the “clothing” that will keep us strong and secure. Jesus invites always to practically ask ourselves, “What am I doing with my time, treasure, and talent? Do I believe His love for me has no limits?”
Your practical support each week in the collection also helps make these ministries possible and real at your parish. Your generosity reflects the generous nature of the person in this Gospel that Our Lord so admires.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Thank you, Father Dave, for “decoding” the parables for us. Jesus said that he taught with parables because not everyone could understand the true meaning (Luke 8:9). But he, like you, explained the parables for his friends.
So now we have a better understanding of the “economics of love.”
Yes, the “economics” of love is without end.
Hi Fr.
When this gospel came up.. I always eagerly awaited the sermon.. seems to me this always was then and is even tougher today to present to the flock…approaching it from the love angle diffuses it somewhat but in today’s world with open borders and the globalist philosophy it falls short. Illegal immigration and mass migration as seen in Europe ;and all the benefits and freebies that are then doled out for breaking in to a sovereign country and breaking the law seem to fit right in with this gospel. Using love as the motivation for the farmers generosity may not be so eagerly embraced today..
Our Catholic understanding is that everyone in the world has an absolute right to emigrate, or leave their home country, but no one has an absolute right to immigrate, or enter a country. Every country has the right and even obligation to regulate entry. See my article “The Price of Admission” at my website at daveheney.com for a fuller explanation.
Thank you Fr. Dave, for your explanation of the landowner being the Lord, the workers His
followers, and the vineyard His kingdom
I think that this is a wonderful parable for us to step back, and let the Lord
do the judging. Like the workers we like to decide the outcome.
Jesus sees a need and in His generosity and compassion He deals with it as only
He can do. remembering that He always does what is best for us..
Yes, I am glad Our Lord described so well life in the Kingdom of God, where the “coin of the realm” is love.
That was a good reminder as I have been wondering why I need so much and it winds up junk anyway.
One thing I want to commit to is for adoration. since coming to Simi I haven’t gone and my intentions are to commit to going at least once a week. When we spend time with the Lord it is a time to hear from God and I need that.. I tend to get over involved.
Great message. I hope you will be able to make ti to Adoration.
Hi Fr. Dave,
Sunday’s gospel was a bit deep; or rather a bit harder to dig . But since you’ve brought in the thought of loving as Jesus loves, the depth of the parable seem like manageable after all. However, money in today’s terms may also be expressed this way….”give us today our daily bread.” Christians give it a hundred percent or even more in accomplishing their duties at work–a quality which may lead to success one day. But what if we did all that and still failed miserably. Would it still be proper to say that we all really didn’t deserve anything except “the workers’ wage in the vineyard?” Wage, as Jesus’ love for all of us?
Pope Francis seems to be in line with such thought considering the success and failure of all of his missionary works for all the poor people of his old Archdiocese in Central America, and that of his new one in Rome and the rest of the world!
Thanks for your thoughts. They reminded me of something that Mother Teresa used to say often. “God does not call us to be successful …He call us to be faithful.” We may only achieve success rarely, but God loves the full faith effort we make.
Love your beautiful commentary!! Love the thought that God’s love is limitless and showered on us always!!!!Some people receive the precious gift of Faith and love and try to live it in love while others may receive that precious gift and not live it until they are open to Jesus’ love!! When the are ready, Jesus overwhelms them in love!! Loveeeeee our Jesus, love our Faith and love you!!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeee, Franca and Dick
Yes, God’s love is limitless!