Gospel of the Day
From the Gospel according to Matthew 20, 1–16
At that time: Jesus told his disciples this parable, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market-place, and to them he said, “You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.” So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, “Why do you stand here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You go into the vineyard too.”
‘And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, “Call the labourers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.” And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 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 a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?” So the last will be first, and the first last.’
The Gospel of the Lord
Love More Where It Hurts
My good Jesus, thank You so much for showing us the truth. You like to give us parables that challenge us, that make us think. What are You trying to tell us? That Your way of thinking is not our way of thinking. We cannot forget that our desires are disordered, affected by original sin and by our past sins. This means that our self-love can influence us greatly. And the worst thing is that we do not usually see it. Self-love is our greatest enemy. And if we cannot see it, that means it has an even stronger hold on us. How many times do I judge my spouse according to my own standards? How many times do I think I am right? How many times do I see their faults more clearly than my own?
Lord, help me to be aware that my way of seeing things is affected by sin. That the only right standard is Yours, never mine. You alone know everything, and You are the Truth. So, Jesus, help me to turn away from my own judgement and seek only Yours.
May I always ask myself: «What would You do in this situation?». And Your answer will always be: «Love, give yourself, forgive, welcome…».
Lord, thank You for every opportunity You give me each day to give myself to my spouse, even when I do not understand, to forgive, and to love in every situation.
Brought Down to Married Life
Simon: Ruth, this parable really challenges me. How many times do I complain that this or that is unfair, compare myself with others… And that phrase, «Are you envious because I am generous?», really touches my heart.
Ruth: I feel the same. God has given each of us the gifts He has seen fit to give us. More than that, He allows some things to happen that benefit us and others that seem to harm us. Because He knows what is truly best for us, and He wants to bring something great out of it for us.
Simon: Without a doubt. I remember when we were constantly comparing ourselves with each other. Thinking about what the other person had or had not done, whether they had received something and I had not… What a tortuous path that was! You can really see who it came from. He turns every situation into an opportunity to bring out the worst in us.
Ruth: Yes, and what a wonderful path the Lord offers us! It seems that not defending ourselves, not insisting on our own worth, will somehow hurt us. But the opposite is true. It frees us and fills us with peace.
Simon: How great the Lord is! He allows all those situations that trouble us so that we can learn not to complain, not to judge, to trust in Him and to love as He loves.
Mother,
Please help us to see every situation that displeases us as an opportunity to love more. As You did, as Your Son did.
Blessed and praised be God!