Aug.18. Lectionary # 421

Scripture: Aug.18.Lectionary 421. Ezekiel 34:1-11. Psalm 23: 1-3.3-4.5-6.
Matthew 20:1-16:

Hammurabi, the great Babylonian king and law maker (Code of Hammurabi), is
called "Shepherd." In the Old Testament this metaphorical title is applied
to leaders good and bad. Ezekiel gives us a good glimpse into the shepherd
symbol today throughout chapter 34. For Israel the only true leader and
shepherd is God. God is the Good Shepherd in the Hebrew Scriptures.Once we
have heard the message of Ezekiel on shepherds we turn to the Psalm, a
favorite one, Psalm 23 that shows us how God is the good shepherd of
Israel. Jesus will take up this way of describing his spiritual leadership
role especially in John's Gospel. He will also take up another way of
speaking of himself as the vine. Both the shepherd theme and the vineyard
are presented for our inspiration and motivation today. Psalm 95 which
many use for the early reading of the breviary or the prayer of the Church
we have another important shepherd verse: "...for He is our God, and we are
the people He tends, the flock in His care." (Psalm 95:7).

Matthew's narrative features another parable about the kingdom. It is
compared to the owner of a vineyard who needs laborers for his harvesting
of that vineyard. He goes out throughout the day to the familiar places
where people stand waiting for someone to hire them for such work. The
parable goes through the whole day in order to get us to the final hour
when even those who come at that last segment of work get payed as much as
those who came first. It is a parable so those of you who belong to unions
and are very conscientious about fair practice, take it for a parable and
not for what you are all about. A parable is meant to teach something about
things beyond what we imagine--the kingdom and not what our salaries are.
Here there are three possible ways of interpreting this important parable
even though you sense of justice may not like the parable: first, it shows
us that God cares for everyone even the late comers, the sinners, and the
stragglers. Secondly, God gives everyone the ability to choose what is good
over what is bad. Each of us have our limits and God deals with the gifts
we have. God is very generous in dealing with each of us despite age,
nationality, or race. No matter when we come into this world God is
generous to us and we all have the equal ability to enter the kingdom of
God no matter in what epoch we come into the world. The history of
salvation is universal and God's creative redemption is taking place not
according to our rules but God's. Verses 10-12, and verse 15 are key to
the interpretation of the point of the parable. Finally, from Jesus' point
of view there is a reversal of the social order taking place, a renewal and
a metanoia as we see in verse 16 of our pericope. Should we be jealous
that God is so generous that He can help people into the kingdom even at
the end of their lives? Isn't it good that we do not have to push
ourselves to have a death-bed conversion? Should we begrudge God's
generosity and Jesus' way of teaching us about it through this parable?
You know the answer so as we say talk the talk but also walk the walk
toward the kingdom which is also within us. Amen.