St. Augustine of Canterbury Parish
Theme: “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire
labourers for his vineyard.” (Matthew 20:1)
God goes out every time in search of a one of us to collaborate with him on a special project or
mission on earth. In this weekend’s reading, we hear that God goes out like a landowner in
search of someone to hire. We note in the Gospel of this weekend that God goes out “early in the
morning to hire” someone who is willing to collaborate with him in his work. God does not stay
out there idle or waiting for things to happen. He goes out early in the day to make things
happen. When God goes out to get his work done, can he count on us as a good collaborator in
his works? When God goes out to hire someone for his work, will he find one of us early in the
day, week, and year? God is looking for each one of us to work for him: “The kingdom of
heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard”
(Matthew 20:1-2).
God goes out several times in the day, week, and year in search of someone to hire. When and
where can he find one of us to collaborate with him on earth? God needs collaborators every
time:
“When he went out about nine o’clock,
he saw others standing idle in the marketplace;
and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard,
and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.
‘When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock,
he did the same.
And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around;
and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’
They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’
He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard’” Matthew 20:3-7).
God is generous in hiring and inviting each one of us to work for him. Are we willing to stay
within his generosity or are we going to create our own ways of working? Do we allow God to
be God to everyone or we want to control how God should behave as God towards everyone?
God is hiring us to collaborate with his generous plans and works:
“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager,
‘Call the labourers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and then going to the first.’
When those hired about five o’clock came,
each of them received the usual daily wage.
Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more;
but each of them also received the usual daily wage.
And when they received it,
they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
‘These last worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us
who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’
But he replied to one of them,
‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong;
did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what belongs to you and go;
I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you.
Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me?” (Matthew 20:8-14)
Do we give God the space to continue to choose how to guide each one of us and to guide his
works on earth? How do we carry out the works of God in order to respect him as the one to
whom the universe and all of creation belong?
Everyday of this week, when God goes out to hire or invite someone to collaborate with his good
works, let each one of us be available to work for him. In collaborating with the Lord, let us
encourage others to collaborate with him as well.