Tuesday, August 20, 2013

20th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 21-08-13

Judges 9:6-15 / Matthew 20:1-16

Money does not make the world go round; but money does make people go round and up and about.

It cannot be denied that money has this incentive to make people work harder, go faster, think smarter, etc.

After all, the business transactions of the world are driven by money and the concern for profit.

Consequently, money can also be a point of contention where wages are concerned.

In the parable of the gospel, that seemed to be the complaint of the workers who worked all day and were paid the equal amount as those who came at the eleventh hour.

The complaint was about "unfair" wages, although it was not unjust; but the parable's concern is about availability and generosity.

The eleventh hour workers made themselves available, even when it was coming to the end of the day, and that earned them the generosity of the landowner.

Yet in the 1st reading, we see a reversal. Those who were able to lead the country refused to be available for the duty and it eventually fell into the hands of a tyrant.

And this is also the problem with our world. Those who are able refused to be available, and hence they end up at the fool's disposal.

Yes God is generous but we also have to be available for His generosity. With His generosity, our abilities will give God glory.