Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Chúa Nhật 25 Thường Niên Năm A

  Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Chúa Nhật 25 Thường Niên Năm A

Trong dụ ngôn hôm nay, Chúa Giê-su kể cho chúng ta nghe một câu chuyện về những người công nhân đã ghen tị khi họ thấy những người khác làm việc ít giờ hơn nhưng nhận lại được cùng một ngày lương giống như những người khác. Trong đoạn Kinh thánh này Chúa Giêsu muốn cho chúng ta một lời mời gọi để trưởng thành lòng biết ơn cá nhân đối với công việc chúng ta được mời gọi để làm. Thật là một may mắn cho chúng ta khi có được một công việc, được chọn làm một nhiệm vụ và đóng góp cho một sự thành công. Công việc làm vừa lòng, thoải mái mặc dù có những khó khan và có khi chúng ta phải vất vả với công việc chúng ta làm. Thánh Gioan Phaolô II, đã từng nói: “Việc làm là điều tốt cho con người; điều tốt cho nhân loại; bởi vì qua công ăn việc làm, con người không chỉ biến đổi bản chất, điều chỉnh nó theo nhu cầu của chính mình, mà còn đạt được sự hoàn thiện trọn vẹn như một con người và thực sự theo một nghĩa nào đó, trở thành một "con người hơn" (Laborem Exercens).
            Chúng ta hãy tạ ơn Chúa về công việc mà Ngài đặt vào tay chúng ta và hoàn thành nó với khả năng tốt nhất của chúng ta để Ngài được vinh danh. Tâm hồn của chúng ta có thể dễ dàng chuyển từ lòng biết ơn sang sự phẫn nộ khi ai đó nhận được nhiều hơn những gì mà chúng ta đánh giá về sự giới hạn của họ. Chúng ta hãy xét lại tình hình của người đến làm vườn nho sau cùng. Có lẽ anh ta đã đứng chờ chực hàng giờ, lo lắng cố tìm cho được một việc trước khi anh ta được mướn? Có lẽ anh ấy đã lỡ dịp nên không được mướn ngay từ lúc ban đầu, hay là vì anh ấy đã lớn tuổi, hay anh ta bị tật nguyền hay anh ta đang phải săn sóc đứa con của anh đang đau ốm ở nhà không?
            Chúng ta không bao giờ có thể hiểu hết hoàn cảnh của người khác. Ngoài lòng biết ơn cá nhân về hoàn cảnh của chính mình, chúng ta còn được mời gọi để có sự đồng cảm với người khác. Nếu chúng ta cứ hay so sánh chính bản thân mình với người khác thì chắc chắn sự so sánh này sẽ ngăn cản khả năng của chúng ta để nhìn thấy mọi thứ từ góc độ nhìn của chúng; vì đó là cơ cấu căn bản cho sự đồng cảm. Chúng ta nên vui mừng trước sự may mắn của người khác và chúc tụng Thiên Chúa, Đấng đã phân phát mọi ân sủng cho chúng ta một mục đích như thư thánh Phao-lô viết gởi cho người Rô-ma, “Vì chúng ta có những năng khiếu khác nhau tùy theo ân sủng mà Thiên Chúa đã ban cho chúng ta, nên chúng ta hãy nên sử dụng chúng đúng cách” (Rôma 12 : 6).
            Chúng ta luôn có thể tin tưởng vào sự phán xét tốt lành của Thiên Chúa. Chỉ khi nào chúng ta có được một nền tảng vững chắc về sự hiểu biết rằng chúng ta được Thiên Chúa yêu thương, chúng ta mới có thể thực sự vui mừng trước vận may của người khác.
Nếu chúng ta làm việc cả ngày như những môn đệ trung thành trong vườn nho của Ngài, thì chúng ta hãy chúc tụng Chúa. Nếu chúng ta tìm thấy được ý nghĩa và mục đích của mình trong Chúa sau này trong cuộc sống, thì hãy chúc tụng Chúa đi.
Dù có thế nào đi nữa, phần thưởng của chúng ta cho một công việc hoàn thành tốt đẹp vượt xa với những nỗ lực của con người. Chúng ta sẽ không bao giờ xứng đáng với thiên đường. Đó là món quà cho không mà Thiên Chúa  ban tặng cho những ai biết yêu thương và phục vụ ngài trên thế gian này. Hôm nay, chúng ta hãy biết ơn Chúa vì Chúa đã cho chúng ta có được khả năng để làm việc trong vườn nho của Chúa, Chúng ta hãy rao truyền tin mừng đến với những linh hồn mà Ngài đặt trong cuộc sống của chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy xin Chúa giúp chúng ta phát triển lòng trắc ẩn và sự đồng cảm với những người cần trở lại
Chúng ta muốn trở thành sứ giả của Ngài trong thế giới đau khổ này và tiếp cận để đáp ứng các nhu cầu về tinh thần, tình cảm và thể chất của người khác.
 
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Justice and Mercy
In the parable today, Jesus tells us a story about the workers became jealous when they saw that others who worked a shorter shift received the same daily wage. This passage is an invitation to grow in personal gratitude for the work we are called to do. It is a blessing to have a job, to be chosen for a task and to contribute to a cause. Work is gratifying, even though it can also be tiring and hard. St. John Paul II, once said: “Work is a good thing for man–a good thing for his humanity; because through work man not only transforms nature, adapting it to his own needs, but he also achieves fulfillment as a human being and indeed, in a sense, becomes "more a human being"(Laborem Exercens).
Let us thank God for the work he places in our hands and accomplish it to the best of our ability for his glory. Our hearts can easily move from gratitude to indignation when someone receives more than we judge is his or her due. Let’s look at the situation of the latecomer to the vineyard.   Did he spend anxious hours looking for work before he was hired? Was he passed by earlier because he was older, handicapped, or dealing with a sick child at home?
We can never fully comprehend the plight of another. In addition to personal gratitude for our own situation, we are called to have empathy for others. Comparing ourselves to others blocks our ability to see things from their perspective; the basic requirement for empathy. We should rejoice in another’s good fortune and blessed be God, who distributes gifts according to a purpose as saint Paul wrote to the Romans, “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them” (Romans 12:6).
We can always trust God’s good judgment. Only when we are firmly grounded in the knowledge that we are loved by God can we truly rejoice at another’s good fortune. If we labor all day as faithful disciples in his vineyard, blessed be God. If we find our meaning and purpose in God later in life, blessed be God.  Either way, our reward for a job well done far surpasses our human efforts. We will never deserve heaven. It is God’s free gift given to those who know, love, and serve him in this world.
            Today let’s be grateful for the ability to work in God’s vineyard, let’s spread the good news to the souls He places in our life.  Let’s ask him to help us to grow in compassion and empathy for those in need of conversion.
We want to be His emissary in this suffering world and reach out to meet the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of others. 

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time:
“When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage.” Matthew 20:8–10
Is life always fair? It would seem not. We have all experienced situations in life when we felt as though we were cheated. Children are especially sensitive to this and will often complain to a parent when they feel as though they have been treated unjustly. From an earthly perspective, it is true that life is not always fair. But we ought not live by an earthly perspective. We are called to live according to the divine perspective. From that perspective, everything is fair in the end, and true justice is meted out to everyone.
When we consider the question of whether or not life is fair, we should always begin with the Son of God. Jesus was certainly not treated fairly. In fact, it is hard to conclude that anyone who has ever lived received a more unjust treatment than Jesus, at least from an earthly perspective. He was perfect in every way. He treated everyone throughout His life with perfect virtue. He never lied, cheated, stole, etc. Yet we all know what happened to Him. He was falsely accused, dishonestly judged, brutally abused, and murdered on a cross. From an earthly perspective, it is clear that this was not fair.
Jesus’ life, along with ours, must not be evaluated from the perspective of earthly justice. It’s not that treating others unjustly is permissible by the will of God. Each of us has a moral responsibility to act in justice as a minimum requirement. But we are also called to exceed earthly justice and live by the new standard of supernatural grace. From that perspective, Jesus’ suffering and death was not tragic; it was glorious. His Cross was not an instrument of injustice, it was His throne upon which He established His new Kingdom. Once grace enters the picture, all apparent injustice is turned upside down and must be looked at from a different perspective.
The parable we read today presents to us the scenario in which God has chosen to bestow His grace and mercy in abundance to all who turn to Him. We can never earn the right to His mercy. Nothing we can do will ever give us the right to the gift of eternal salvation. Therefore, this parable especially challenges us to look at Heaven and the life of grace on earth from the perspective of “gift.” All is a gift from God. Whether we convert at the end of our lives, after living sinful lives, or whether we have spent our whole lives serving the will of God, all is a gift in the end, all is grace. 
Only when we comprehend God’s goodness and infinite generosity will we be able to overcome our temptations toward jealousy and selfishness. Those who have dedicated their entire lives to the love of God, if it is a genuine love and service of God, will, as a result, take on the perspective of the mind and heart of God. Part of that perspective is the burning desire to generously bestow God’s infinite grace and mercy upon everyone who turns to Him. Even the most hardened sinner who has been the source of much hurt in life is a candidate for the fullness of God’s grace if they repent. This must be our desire. We must be like the landowner in this parable who rejoices when laborers show up in the last hour and then lavishes a full day’s wages upon them. Not only is this fair from the divine perspective, it must become our personal desire as we labor through life.
Reflect, today, upon how deeply you desire to see those who have not yet given their lives to God to come to Him and receive the fullness of grace. Look at them within the context of this parable. Examine how you feel about those laborers who have not yet begun their service of God. Examine, also, your feelings toward those who seem undeserving of the fullness of God’s grace. If you find that you have jealousy, or judge others from the perspective of earthly justice, work to eliminate that perspective so that your heart’s deepest desire is to see God bestow the fullness of mercy upon everyone in this world when they turn to Him with a contrite heart.
Most merciful Lord, You are generous beyond comprehension. You bestow mercy upon those who turn to You from their sin and seek to serve Your holy will. May I be among those who labor in Your vineyard, and may I also be among those who desire to see everyone accept the invitation to receive the fullness of Your grace. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time: 2023
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, I look to you with gratitude for all that I have received and for all that I can offer, little though it may be. Lord, I humbly ask for this grace: Help me to rejoice when others receive good things.  
Encountering Christ:
1. Gratitude: In this passage, the workers became jealous when they saw that others who worked a shorter shift received the same daily wage. This passage is an invitation to grow in personal gratitude for the work we are called to do. It is a blessing to have a job, to be chosen for a task, and to contribute to a cause. Work is gratifying, even though it can also be tiring and hard. In the words of St. John Paul II, “Work is a good thing for man–a good thing for his humanity–because through work man not only transforms nature, adapting it to his own needs, but he also achieves fulfillment as a human being and indeed, in a sense, becomes "more a human being"(Laborem Exercens). Let us thank God for the work he places in our hands and accomplish it to the best of our ability for his glory.
2. Freedom from Comparison: Our hearts can easily move from gratitude to indignance when someone receives more than we judge is due. Let’s look at the situation of the latecomer to the vineyard. Did he spend anxious hours looking for work before he was hired? Was he passed by earlier because he was older, handicapped, or dealing with a sick child at home? We can never fully comprehend the plight of another. In addition to personal gratitude for our situation, we are called to empathize with others. Comparing ourselves to others blocks our ability to see things from their perspective—the basic requirement for empathy.
3. Rejoicing in Another’s Good Fortune: Blessed be God, who distributes gifts according to a purpose (see Romans 12:6). We can always trust God’s good judgment. Only when we are firmly grounded in the knowledge that God loves us can we truly rejoice at another’s good fortune. If we labor all day as faithful disciples in his vineyard, blessed be God. If we find our meaning and purpose in God later in life, blessed be God. Either way, our reward for a job well done far surpasses our human efforts. We will never deserve heaven. God’s free gift is given to those who know, love, and serve him in this world.
Conversing with Christ: Dear Lord, I am grateful for the ability to work in your vineyard, spreading the good news to the souls you place in my life. Please help me grow in compassion and empathy for those needing conversion. I want to be your emissary in this suffering world and reach out to meet the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of others. 
Resolution: Lord, today, by your grace, I will practice gratitude for the work you have given me to do.  
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time:
My parents used to have a number of acres of land growing tobacco, sugar cane and rice.... during the planting and harvesting seasons, my parents had to hire daily workers to work in the field to plant or harvest the produces. I remember in early fall of 1972 there was a large number of war refugees coming from the war torn towns in the central part of the country to our area to look for work.
My mom was a very generous woman, she hired all who came to seek for work in our farm even students who had never worked in a farm before, and she paid them the same wage as the local experienced workers.
Later, some of the local workers came to my mom complaining how my mom unfairly paid them equal wages with those who had no experience, they worked too slow and didn’t do as0 much as they did and still get the same payment …. From the human stand point, we can well understand that these workers were angry with my mom because she was generous with those refugees.
Today, we see something like that in the gospel reading. We can get mad at God and think that he is treating us unfairly, especially when we compare ourselves to other people. But all this shows that we have the wrong premise. In relation to God, everything is a gift and they all belong to Him.
When we stand before God, we cannot demand any rights. For the workers in today’s Gospel it seemed unfair that the ones who worked only an hour got the same pay as the ones who worked the entire day. But God is not unfair. He is simply generous. In this passage the workers became jealous when they saw that others who worked a shorter shift received the same daily wage.
This passage is an invitation for us to grow in personal gratitude for the work we are called to do. It is a blessing to have a job, to be chosen for a task and to contribute to a cause. Work is gratifying, even though it can also be tiring and hard.
St. John Paul II said: “Work is a good thing for man; a good thing for his humanity; because through work man not only transforms nature, adapting it to his own needs, but he also achieves fulfillment as a human being and indeed, in a sense, becomes "more a human being"(Laborem Exercens).
Let us thank God for the work he places in our hands and accomplish it to the best of our ability for his glory. Our hearts can easily move from gratitude to indignation when someone receives more than we judge is his or her due. Let’s look at the situation of the latecomer to the vineyard.
Did he spend anxious hours looking for work before he was hired? Was he passed by earlier because he was older, handicapped, or dealing with a sick child at home? We can never fully comprehend the plight of another.
In addition to personal gratitude for our own situation, we are called to have empathy for others. Comparing ourselves to others blocks our ability to see things from their perspective; the basic requirement for empathy. We should rejoice in another’s good fortune and blessed be God, who distributes gifts according to a purpose as saint Paul wrote to the Romans, “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them” (Romans 12:6). We can always trust God’s good judgment. Only when we are firmly grounded in the knowledge that we are loved by God can we truly rejoice at another’s good fortune. If we labor all day as faithful disciples in his vineyard, blessed be God.  If we find our meaning and purpose in God later in life, blessed be God. Either way, our reward for a job well done far surpasses our human efforts. We will never deserve heaven. It is God’s free gift given to those who know, love, and serve him in this world. Let us thank God for the work he places in our hands and accomplish it to the best of our ability for his glory.
 Today let’s be grateful for the ability to work in God’s vineyard, let’s spread the good news to the souls He places in our life. Let’s ask him to help us to grow in compassion and empathy for those in need of conversion. We want to be His emissary in this suffering world and reach out to meet the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of others.