“I have not cheated you. After all, you agreed to do a day’s work for one silver coin. Now take your pay and go home. I want to give this man who was hired last as much as I gave you.”– Matthew 20:13-14

One of my friends left a large tip on the table as we left a restaurant. “Why did you leave such a big amount? Loose change would have been enough since service charge has already been included in the bill,” said our other companion. My generous friend just smiled at her and said, “I know. I just feel like giving them some more.”

       Humans value fairness. One works, the other pays. One gives, the other gives back. Good thing God thinks beyond fairness and justice. He is a God of grace and mercy.

       If God was just a fair God, then I believe that a lot of the blessings that we receive should not be ours in the first place. Just take God’s love: We can never do enough to merit it, yet He gives it freely.

       Sometimes we ask God, “Why do You bless me despite my unworthiness? Don’t You know how sinful I am?” I imagine Him answering, “I know. I just feel like giving you some more.”   God is more than fair. He is gratuitous. Velden Lim (veldenlim@gmail.com)

Reflection: Justice is the minimum of love. Are you too engrossed with fairness that you forget to be loving?

Lord, teach me to receive Your gratuitous love freely, so I can give it freely too.

St. Bernard, abbot and doctor of the Church, pray for us.

Ezekiel now turns his attention to the leaders or shepherds of Israel. Leadership is a sacred responsibility; it is not a means to a life of privilege and advantage. We should treat our leaders with respect but we should not spoil them. Ezekiel makes it clear that the leaders of the people have failed in their responsibilities and that their judgment will be harsher because they have used their authority for their own gain rather than serving the people.

1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, in these words prophesy to them: Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been pasturing themselves! Should not shepherds, rather, pasture sheep? 3 You have fed off their milk, worn their wool, and slaughtered the fatlings, but the sheep you have not pastured. 4 You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick nor bind up the injured. You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost, but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally. 5 So they were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered 6 and wandered over all the mountains and high hills; my sheep were scattered over the whole earth, with no one to look after them or to search for them. 7 Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8 As I live, says the Lord God, because my sheep have been given over to pillage, and because my sheep have become food for every wild beast, for lack of a shepherd; because my shepherds did not look after my sheep, but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep; 9 because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 10 Thus says the Lord God: I swear I am coming against these shepherds. I will claim my sheep from them and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep so that they may no longer pasture themselves. I will save my sheep, that they may no longer be food for their mouths. 11 For thus says the Lord God: I myself will look after and tend my sheep.

R: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; 3 he refreshes my soul. (R) He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. (R) 5 You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (R) 6 Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come. (R)

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. He is not the founder of the Cistercian Order but he is probably their most famous saint, and one to whom their rapid growth can be attributed the most. He was a great preacher, and tradition has it that women would not allow their men-folk to attend his preaching because too many of them would be converted and leave everything and join the Cistercians. Oh, if that ability was present in the Church today, his services as a preacher would certainly be in demand.

The word of God is living and effective, able to discern the reflections and thoughts of the heart.

1 Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 Going out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ 5 So they went off. And he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. 6 Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’ 8 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.’ 9 When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. 10 So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ 13 He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? 15 Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ 16 Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

think: Leadership is a sacred responsibility; it is not a means to a life of privilege and advantage.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Job 22-25

LABORERS IN THE LORD’S VINEYARD

I doubt if anyone could claim to have been instrumental in helping so many people discover their religious vocation than St. Bernard of Clairvaux. When he preached in the local church or town square, the men who listened often left everything and followed him back to the monastery. Some of the women folk would refuse to allow their sons and husbands to attend Mass if St. Bernard was preaching for fear of losing them to the religious life. If only there were a few more with the skills of St. Bernard around today, perhaps we would not experience the lack of laborers in God’s vineyard.

       St. Bernard’s preaching and diplomatic skills were largely responsible for the rapid growth of the new Cistercian Order in the 11th century. His preaching prowess is legendary and his knowledge and memory of Scripture so great that he is considered the last of the Fathers of the Church, or those who are generally considered to have quoted the Scriptures from memory alone and have contributed greatly to the theology of the Church.

       Bernard had a great love for the Blessed Mother of God. He wrote many prayers in her honor, including the “Memorare” and a number of hymns. As we reflect upon his love for Mary and his desire to live a simple life glorifying God, let us be inspired by his life so that we might more closely follow Jesus. It is not a matter of simply admiring what he achieved. Our admiration ought to be translated into action if it is to have any lasting meaning. An armchair sportsman will never get fit or achieve any personal milestones, and similarly for the spectator disciple. They might attend all the right events but unless they contribute to their running or receive the grace of the occasion in their lives, it will have no lasting effect on them and will not carry them along the path of salvation.

       Let us ensure that we are not armchair disciples but followers of Christ in both word and deed. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you an armchair disciple? How can you be a true follower of Christ in word and deed?

Holy Spirit, help me to open my heart to the Word of God today. Let it penetrate the depths of my being and bring about deeper conversion in my life.