“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire
laborers for his vineyard.”(Matt 20:1)
Jesus, the divine Son of the Father, is the landowner of the
vineyard (Israel); he comes to offer man a chance to produce fruit for the
vineyard. He has come early in the
morning of civilization- since the creation of the world- part of which He gave
to Israel. Creation was given freely;
man was the fruit of creation. He gives
man more than he deserves. Man could never earn God’s love. His love has no
strings attached; He is a superabundance of love. “He is generous in forgiving.”
(Isiah55:7) His love is steadfast,
faithful. “He keeps his merciful
covenant down to the thousandth generation.”(Deut7:9)
Wanting man to come to the Father, five times God comes to
Israel with prophets, looking for Israel to lead other nations into his
vineyard. Persistent He is, throughout history, which is
like a day to him. “He loved us before
we loved him.”( Jn4:19 )
He asks man why he
was not working for God “They answered,
because no one has hired us.” (Matt 20:8)
No other god could offer what the Father offers, what man needs.
Christ takes man as man is- in early life, in late life,
good men, sinners, for example, like the good thief, and He promises “I will
give you what is just.” (Matt 20: ) Man has experienced the extravagant nature of
divine mercy. Yet man grumbles, so Jesus
goes to the heart of the parable. ”Are
you envious because I am generous?” (Matt20:15) Man
must look into his heart; his actions will reflect his attitude.
Now it is late in the day. Again Jesus, the Son of God,
comes offering divine grace to all; it is sealed in the blood of Christ. Christ’s redemption of man, given in love and
obedience to the Father will be beyond anything man can imagine. His crucifixion will be an awesome giving of
self; man has no equivalent payment.
As Jesus shows love without measure, so man must show love
and service to all to bear fruit in the vineyard.
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