Sunday September 20th: The Generosity of God

“I will give you a fair wage.”

Matthew 20: 1 – 16

“That’s not fair.”    Words we may have spoken or heard. Especially when someone pushes ahead of you in the queue and receives service before you do or when there is an unequal sharing of snacks among siblings!

In today’s gospel, the workers who started at daybreak get paid the same wage as the workers who only did one hour’s work. They all received exactly what they had agreed to receive. However, the early workers grumbled because they felt that they were unjustly treated. In all fairness, one feels that the early workers should have been given more, or the latecomers less.

Jesus teaches us that in the kingdom of heaven it makes no difference the number of hours someone works. God’s generosity goes beyond human standards of fairness. God’s grace is not earned by the length of service or effort nor is it earned by comparing ourselves to others. God’s grace is a gift freely given to all who respond to his call to work in His vineyard.