For My Thoughts Are Not Your Thoughts Nor Are Your Ways My Ways, Says the Lord

09-24-2023Weekly ReflectionFr. Manasseh Iorchir, VC

As humans, we possess a tendency to do unto others what they do, or are most likely to do, to us. We understand the “tit for tat” rule of Moses and are instinctively inclined to love those who love us. The Readings of this weekend’s Liturgy show how diametrically apart these human theories of morality and justice are from God’s thoughts. We may see justice as giving to each individual what they deserve; God gives to us, not what each person deserves, but what pleases His Divine will.

In the First Reading, coming off the back of God’s universal invitation to His banquet, a meal to which all are invited to find free and abundant reprieve with the Lord (Isaiah 55:1-5), Prophet Isaiah explains that the undeserving sinners, wicked, even scoundrels are invited to change direction and return to the Lord for mercy. The Prophet stresses that God is generous in forgiving and His mercy is readily available even for those whose lives have been spent in vicious rebellion against God’s will. For those who would like to doubt the veracity of this universal invitation to repentance, the Prophet reminds them that God’s thoughts are different from theirs just as their ways are different from His ways. This First Reading affords us the assurance that should we turn to the Lord at any time, despite the extent of our sins and the depth of our rebellion, God’s mercy will surely be made available for us. All who hear this universal summons to the free, Divine banquet, are encouraged to take advantage of the offer of the New and everlasting covenant while it is available. One way to effect a practical application of the exhortation contained in the First Reading is to visit the confessional for the sacrament of reconciliation in prompt response to this invitation.

It is this unfathomable Mercy and Justice of God that Jesus explained in the Gospel passage. In the parable, a landowner hired laborers at different times to work for him in his vineyard, but when it was time to pay them for their labor, he decided to pay them equally to the disappointment of those who were hired at an earlier time and so expected a bigger pay. We should note the dialogue between the landowner and those who were hired at the eleventh hour (interpreted as 5 o’clock by some Bible versions). When the landowner asked them why they were idling away, they responded “because no one has hired us.” This means that they were ready and prepared for work and so it was not their fault that they were not engaged. The heart of every human person is by its nature open to goodness. The Justice of God, who is represented by the landowner in the parable, saw to it that their labor, even if it was just for one hour, was equally rewarded. This parable is very clear. All are invited into the vineyard (the Church) of the Lord, it doesn't matter whether we are Jews or Gentiles, of Catholic parentage or Protestant heritage, saints or sinners, everyone who heeds God’s invitation to His Son’s banquet shall receive the reward of Salvation according to God’s merciful Justice. There should not be some disgruntled laborers in the Lord’s vineyard who see God’s kingdom only on the basis of “what is in it for me?” That we are all made worthy by God’s invitation to His Church alone should be considered a privilege since it brings us in close proximity to Christ, a gift not all people have the wisdom to receive.

May we seek to believe first and then try to understand our belief knowing that God’s ways are not our ways, and may we be happy to receive new believers into our faith community and in a particular way into our St. Benedict family where all are welcome.