Blessed John Henry Newman – February 21, 18011801 -1August 11, 1890
Scripture Readings for today’s Liturgy”
Isaiah 55:6-9 – Ps 145 – Philippians 20 – 24, 276 – Matthew 20:1-6a
“Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.” (Today’s Gospel Acclamation.)
My first reaction upon hearing this parable of the workers in the vineyard is one of unfairness. Even though the 1st workers agreed to the usually daily wage they feel cheated when the last ones who only worked on hour get the same pay. Even as a small child I thought that it wasn’t that I – as a cradle Catholic who had to live under all those old fashioned rules – should get the same reward as an “eleventh-hour” convert! It was more a thought of my having had to follow all those rules and this “Jonny-come-lately” just coasted in under the wire. I know that this sounds like a confession but I’m sure that I’m not the only one who had these kind of thoughts. What we all have to remember is the fact that in God there is no thought of everything being equal. It never will be like that. It’s as if God can look at each and every individual in such a way as to do it as if there wasn’t anybody else to think about. God can do this with everyone all at the same time and treat all with absolute fairness. Amen!