Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

September 18, 2011
Isaiah 55:6-9; Psalm 145; Philippians 1:20-24, 27; Matthew 20:1-16

           Isaiah was spot on when he captured the Lord’s words, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways.” His words are helpful to remember as we hear the difficult Gospel parable about the generous landowner’s hiring practices. In the tale, vineyard laborers are hired at various times throughout the day for the same wage. Since we value hard work, we sympathize with the early laborers who, after toiling long and hard under the hot sun, do not get a higher wage or bonus. It seems fair that those who bear the brunt of the work are accordingly rewarded. We want what is fair and just and our social justice efforts arise from these deeply held values. This reading challenges the correctness of our assumptions.

          Jesus is using this story to tell the religious authorities that newer converts to the faith are welcome to receive the everlasting promises, even though they have not kept the Torah or religious observances as they did. Admittance to the faith is based upon belief and the good works that arise from these positions, not past performance, hours worked, or production quotas. Jesus is revealing something peculiar about God – overarching compassion and inclusion for everyone.

          If we dissect the parable, we see important qualities in God’s character. God is continually searching for believers (laborers) to come to the vineyard of abundance and plenty. God’s justice is inclusive. It extends beyond fairness. It is a concrete expression of “Give us this day our daily bread.” In other words, God wants to provide everyone with an adequate wage to feed their families. Generosity and justice, mercy and compassion are the new order of the day. It creates an environment in which the poor and weak can share in God’s beneficence just like their neighbors who fare better in life. More equitable relationships can be formed and broken bonds can be restored. The former human standards, which are often good and fair to many, no longer cut it because they disenfranchise others. The kingdom of God is a better place to be than the kingdom of humans.

          This parable challenges us to change our line of sight. Instead of looking into the past and glorifying what we have done, we are to look to the future to see the remarkable possibilities for more enhanced human relationships. Ironically, we sometimes do not want to see another do well or to get equal status or recognition, and at the same time, we think we ought to get more notice and honor. We know we are special and we don’t want to be overlooked. The same dynamic occurs with our neighbor. Through God’s example we can discover the unique value of all peoples as they are also invited into the joy of the kingdom.

          Let's remember this is a story to highlight God's character in dealing with us. The emphasis is not focused on in inequitable distribution, but rather God's promised and imminent care of each of us. God wants us to enjoy all we need. It helps us to orient our attention to God as the provider of these wages; it helps us refrain from becoming greedy or acting as the alpha male to take a well-fought place among society. When we turn our attention back to God we become grateful to the one who gives us what we want and need. Our response will never be dissatisfaction; it can only be one of overflowing gratitude.


Themes for this Week’s Masses

First Reading: In Ezra, King Cyrus of Persia proclaimed that every person who is willing may go up to Jerusalem to build the house of the Lord and adorn it with jewels. The generosity of neighbors was exceedingly great. King Darius issued an order to let the governor and elders of the Jews continue to work on the house of God - to rebuild it on its former site. The returned exiles celebrated the dedication of this house with joy. Massive numbers of sacrifices were made and priests and Levites were set up in their service of God in Jerusalem as prescribed by the book of Moses. The exiles kept the Passover as was their custom. In the book of the prophet Haggai, Zerubabbel received word that it was not time to rebuild the house. The word came a little later. Haggai said the new house will be of greater splendor than the old. It will contain the glory of the Lord and it will give you peace. In the book of Zechariah, an angel appeared before him to declare that the Lord is like a ring of fire around Jerusalem and that the Lord will soon dwell among them and they will be his people.

Gospel: Jesus urges his people to be like a lamp that does no good being concealed. It must be raised on a lamp stand so that those who enter may see the light. As Jesus speaks, his embarrassed mother and brothers call to him because they want him to stop talking as if he were God. Herod the tetrarch heard about what Jesus was doing and he was greatly perplexed. He inquired about the identity of Jesus. Some answered that he is John raised from the dead or Elijah or one of the ancient prophets. Herod wanted to meet Jesus. Jesus then asks his friends, "Who do the crowds say that I am? Who do you say that I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Christ." Jesus told them that he must suffer, die, and be raised on the third day. Everyone was amazed at every deed of Jesus, but he told them that the Son of Man must be handed over to men. No one understood what he meant.


Saints of the Week

Monday: Januarius, bishop and martyr (d. 305), was bishop of Benevento during his martyrdom during the Diocletian persecution. He was arrested when he tried to visit imprisoned Christians. Legend tell us that a vial that contains his blood has been kept in the Naples cathedral since the 15^th century liquefies three times a year.

Tuesday: Andrew Kim Taegon, priest, martyr, Paul Hasang, martyr, and companion martyrs (19th century), were Korean martyrs that began to flourish in the early 1800’s. The church leadership was almost entirely lay-run. In 1836, Parisian missionaries secretly entered the country and Christians began to encounter hostility and persecutions. Over 10,000 Christians were killed. Taegon was the first native-born priest while the rest were 101 lay Christians.

Wednesday: Matthew, evangelist and Apostle (first century), may be two different people, but we have not historical data on either man. Since Matthew relies heavily upon Mark’s Gospel, it is unlikely that the evangelist is one of the Twelve Apostles. The Apostle appears in a list of the Twelve and in Matthew’s Gospel he is called a tax collector. The Evangelist is writing to Jewish-Christians who are urged to embrace their Jewish heritage and to participate in their mission to the Gentiles. To Matthew, Jesus is the fulfillment of the hopes of Jews and the inaugurator of a new way to relate to God.

Friday: Pio of Pietrelcina, priest (1887-1968) was affectionately named Padre Pio and was a Capuchin priest who received the stigmata (wounds of Christ) just as Francis of Assisi did. He founded a hospital and became the spiritual advisor to many at a monastery at San Giovanni Rotondo.

This Week in Jesuit History

·         Sep 18, 1540. At Rome, Pedro Ribadeneira, aged fourteen, was admitted into the Society by St Ignatius (nine days before official papal confirmation of the Society).

·         Sep 19, 1715. At Quebec, the death of Fr. Louis Andre, who for 45 years labored in the missions of Canada amid incredible hardships, often living on acorns, a kind of moss, and the rind of fruits.
·         Sep 20, 1990. The first-ever Congregation of Provincials met at Loyola, Spain, on the occasion of the 450th anniversary of the approval of the Society and 500th anniversary of the birth of St Ignatius.
·         Sep 21, 1557. At Salamanca, Melchior Cano wrote to Charles V's confessor, accusing the Jesuits of being heretics in disguise.
·         Sep 22, 1774. The death of Pope Clement XIV, worn out with suffering and grief because of the suppression of the Society. False stories had been circulated that he was poisoned by the Jesuits.
·         Sep 23, 1869. Woodstock College of the Sacred Heart opened. With 17 priests, 44 scholastics, and 16 brothers it was the largest Jesuit community in the United States at the time.
·         Sep 24, 1566. The first Jesuits entered the continental United States at Florida. Pedro Martinez and others, while attempting to land, were driven back by the natives, and forced to make for the island of Tatacuran. He was killed there three weeks later.