Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel: Matthew 20: 1-16

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.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o’clock,
he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.’
So they went off.
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o’clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o’clock,
he found others standing around, and said to them,
‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’
They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’
He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’
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.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, 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.’
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?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?’
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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We live in a society that values being first. We reward the highest achievers, the hardest workers, the first into the vineyard, and the last to leave at night. 

We can carry this belief into religion, thinking that the best way to get into heaven is to never lose our faith, to pray early and often, to excel in charity, to know and live the scriptures.

But according to today’s Gospel parable, such an idea gets us nowhere. In fact, the opposite seems to be true. 

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Does this mean that sinners will storm heaven before the Saints? That it’s better not to run the race of faith from start to finish, rather to convert on our death bed?

How can someone who’s lived a storied life receive the same reward as the virgins, martyrs, and Saints… and even receive their reward first?

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Imagine all of humanity standing in front of the pearly gates, struggling to get into heaven before all of the spots are filled and the gates are closed. 

Where do you see yourself standing – in the front, in the back, in the middle? Would you let someone else cut in front of you?

Suddenly, Jesus makes an announcement, quoting today’s Gospel, “The last will be first, and the first will be last.” 

Imagine the cheering, backslapping, excitement, relief, and gratitude erupting from the back. All of those who didn’t “deserve” a spot are admitted first. 

They’d have quite the story to tell of God’s infinite love and mercy, while the ones formerly up front may struggle with a bit of jealousy.

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Maybe this is the point.

Whether we are first, last, or somewhere in between, it’s not about when we get into heaven, but that we get in at all. Eternal life is pure gift.

Cutting the line – or seeing ourselves as more deserving than others – is a fruitless exercise, because God alone is the judge.

Wherever we may land, thank you, Lord, for saving us a spot.

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Image credits: (1) C.S. Lewis Institute (2) Phil Witte, The Funny Times (3) Dreamtime.com

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Gospel: Matthew 19: 23-30

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich
to enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Again I say to you,
it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said,
“Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For men this is impossible,
but for God all things are possible.”
Then Peter said to him in reply,
“We have given up everything and followed you.
What will there be for us?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you
that you who have followed me, in the new age,
when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory,
will yourselves sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters
or father or mother or children or lands
for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more,
and will inherit eternal life.
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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The demand Jesus placed on the rich young man in yesterday’s Gospel may appear to be heavier than what he placed on Peter and the other disciples.

Yesterday, Jesus commanded the young man to, “Go, sell what you have, give to the poor, and follow me.” If he did, then this man would’ve lost most of or everything he owned.

However, there is nothing written in the Gospels about Peter or the others selling or giving their things away.

The fact that Peter says they have “given up” their families, their homes, and their jobs does not mean that they could not reclaim them at some point in the future.

They have essentially put some of these things “on hold” while following Jesus.

For example, no disciple disowned his family. In fact, some of them had wives, including Peter, whose wife likely traveled with him in parts of his ministry.

The fact that Jesus and his disciples so readily crossed from one side of the Sea of Galilee to the other also implies that at least one of the disciples held on to his boat, using it at the Lord’s request.

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So, what does this mean?

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We need to be clear about what poverty is in Jesus eyes, because he warns us in today’s Gospel, “It is easier for a camel to past through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

Poverty does not imply being penniless. Even the poor can be consumed with selfishness and greed.

Spiritual poverty implies being detached from what we have, to the point of letting go of something should someone else be in greater need, be it time, money, or things. 

For example, when an opportunity for charity arises, how easily do we respond? Do we calculate how much we can give without feeling the pinch, or do we freely give what is asked of us? 

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Herein lies the real difference between the rich young man and the disciples – not wealth itself, but the attachment to it. Whereas the young man could not let go of anything he owned, the disciples gave up their greatest possession – life itself in order to follow the Lord.

May we follow their example, spending ourselves for the sake of the Gospel.

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Image credits: (1) LinkedIn (2) Facebook (3) Daily Dose with Dr. Shermaine

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Gospel: Matthew 19: 16-22

A young man approached Jesus and said,
“Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”
He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
He asked him, “Which ones?”
And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
The young man said to him,
“All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?”
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me.”
When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad,
for he had many possessions.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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In the mind of the disciples, this rich young man must be the perfect new recruit – youthful, wealthy, educated, Law abiding, religious, and interested in Jesus. What more could one ask for? 

This wasn’t a leper, a beggar, a sick or blind person. This was a winner, an ideal son, the type of boy that any parent could be proud of. 

So, when the Lord sent him away, the disciples were dumbfounded. Turning to Jesus exasperated, they question, “Then who can be saved?”

Wealth was not this man’s Achilles heel. 

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What prevented him from joining the ranks of the disciples was fear.

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He was afraid of risk, afraid of taking a leap of faith. Afraid that, if he gave up all of his belongings – if he dropped his nets, as it were – then he wouldn’t be happy. He’d be sad. 

Afraid that, if he followed Jesus that day, then the Lord would take away everything fun from his life. Afraid that “eternal life” might only come after years of taking up his cross, grafted with hardship, suffering, sacrifice, and penniless living. 

It was the same type of fear that caused Peter to sink into the Sea of Galilee – the fear that somehow God was not enough.

Perhaps the rich young man approached Jesus that day hoping there was a road more traveled, some way to satisfy his conscience, or some Herculean way of saving himself by “doing” more, like following every last commandment of the Law to a “t” and then some.

But all Jesus wanted was his heart. 

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Do the fears of the rich young man sound familiar? Are we ever afraid that the path God traces for us, or the doors he opens, will not be enough to satisfy us?

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This fear is a lie. 

May the Lord calm our hearts so that he may give us life – happiness, joy, peace – in abundance. As Saint Ignatius of Loyola often prayed, “Give me only your love and your grace. That is enough for me.” 

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Image credits: (1) Quote Fancy (2) Christ and the Rich Young Man, Andrei Nikolayevich Mironov, Wikimedia Commons (3) God’s Story through my life from 2005 through eternity