The Kingdom in Abundance

This Sunday's Gospel passage from Matthew 20:1-16a ruffles the feathers of many listeners because of the wanton unfairness that seems present in the landowner's payment of the workers in the vineyard. How can he justify paying a worker who toiled only one hour the same amount as the worker who toiled all day in the heat?

But Jesus is not offering guidelines for the payment of laborers but rather making a point about the abundance of his kingdom. None of us can ultimately earn what God offers us in his kingdom. To be welcomed into God's kingdom is to be gifted with life beyond our imagining. There we will have no time to worry about who got more or less but will be wrapped up in gratitude that we are included.

So let us be grateful for the blessings we have and not concerned about who has more or less. And let us revel in the fact that, whether we come to the Lord early or late, the abundant life he promises will far surpass anything we could have merited however long we served him.

Fr. John Klein, Pastor