MARY, OUR MOTHER

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #400

" The kingdom of heaven is like to an householder, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And having agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing in the marketplace idle. And he said to them: 'Go you also into my vineyard, and I will give you what shall be just.' And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did in like manner. But about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he saith to them: ;Why stand you here all the day idle?' They say to him: 'Because no man hath hired us.' He saith to them: 'Go ye also into my vineyard.' And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward: 'Call the labourers and pay them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first.' When therefore they were come that came about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first also came, they thought that they should receive more: And they also received every man a penny. And receiving it they murmured against the master of the house, Saying: 'These last have worked but one hour. and thou hast made them equal to us, that have borne the burden of the day and the heats.' But he answering said to one of them: 'friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny? Take what is thine, and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to thee. Or, is it not lawful for me to do what I will? Is thy eye evil, because I am good?' So shall the last be first and the first last. For many are called but few chosen." (Matt. 20:1-16)

IN THE PARABLE the master of the house is God; the market-place is the world; the vineyard is God's kingdom on earth, the Church; the steward is our Lord Jesus Christ; the laborers in the vineyard are the faithful, who are called by God to believe the one true faith and to live in accordance with it; the day of work is the life-time of men on earth; and the pence signify the eternal reward of the Vision of God in heaven. Almighty God calls us at different times to work in His vineyard. Some He calls in the early morning, as little children; others, boys and girls, He calls at the sixth hour; others He calls when they are full-grown men and women; and many He calls at the eleventh hour, quite in the evening of life, or old age. The paying of the wages takes place at the close of the day, at the end of our lives, when, after death, those whom God called late in life will receive an everlasting reward as well as those called earlier, if only they, like the laborers in the vineyard, obeyed God's voice when He did call them, and worked with perseverance, living according to their faith, even unto the end of the day.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)