GOD'S GENEROSITY

TWENTY FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Is.55:6-9; Ps.145; Phil.1:20-24, 27a; Mt.20:1 – 16a

Life is so overwhelmingly beautiful that we can never understand it completely! Why did that perfect relationship end? How could someone so healthy be in a coma? Why did that happy family get involved in a series unfortunate events? We simply cannot understand life, much less its complexities.

Such is the theme in our readings today. In the First
Reading, the prophet Isaiah humbly admits that “…my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways, my ways….” In the second reading, the apostle Paul was caught torn between “…to depart this life and be with Christ…” and to “…remain in the flesh….” which is “…more necessary for your benefit.” Finally, in our Gospel, the workers cannot accept the fair sharing of their day’s wage, expressing that “These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat!”

Caught in the middle of this confusion and the incomprehensibility of events, today’s Psalm gives us a practical advice: we continue to call upon the Lord for He is near to us!

But why?

The same Psalm gives us reason to come close to God; because He is “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, good to all and compassionate toward all his works.”

At this point of my reflection, let me highlight one reality which we cannot fully understand: God’s generosity!

There seems to be an issue on injustice in the parable of our Gospel today. The landowner gave everyone the same day’s wage. However, when we dig deeper, we realize that it was not about injustice because the workers agreed to be paid with the usual daily wage and so they were given. The parable is all about God’s generosity—the tremendous outpouring of God’s gift for you and me!

Like Isaiah in our First Reading today, let us humbly accept the truth that God is like the sun which shines to everyone. His generosity is not limited to the good and lowly but to every creature He has created. This is not to promote evil ones and for good ones to do evil. After all, in the end the Lord is generous. Rather, this is a reminder not to become envious of others if they receive more than we do. We have also received much from Him, we just fail to appreciate it because we measure not by what our hearts truly desire.

If we cannot fully understand God’s generosity, then what are we to do?

St. Paul has also a very beautiful advice in our
Second Reading, “Only conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the Gospel.” If the Gospel reveals to us a very generous God, then let us be generous like Him! But what kind of generosity? God’s kindness is beautifully seen in the Exultet, “Father, how great is your love for us! To ransom a slave, you gave away your only begotten Son!” God’s generosity is therefore anchored on love! Out of his great love for us, he simply and irresistibly gave His Son! If you have love, then you can truly give and give up all for all!

After the fiesta Mass in the parish, I went for a house blessing. The house was located in a depressed area. When I arrived in the place, everyone was busy preparing the food and children were running around. After the blessing, the father handed me an envelope. While changing my clothes, I looked at the contents of the envelope and found many paper bills and some coins which amounted to Php515.00. Before I left, I returned the envelope because I know they would need it more. However, the father insisted that I should keep it and told me, “Rev, please accept it. It is our own way of thanking God that despite of our poverty, my family is still able to eat three times a day and my children are still going to school.” That was the best preaching on homily I ever heard in my life! The family received much from God that even poverty can’t stop them from being generous!

So we ask ourselves, what about us?

When was the last time that we truly have given not our 50, 70, or 80 but our 100% to God and others?

This life is already a great gift from God. Are we as generous as the father in the story? Or like God, our Father, who gave away His Son so that we can have life and live it to its abundance?