25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 20/09/2020

Do you remember a few weeks ago, Jesus giving his disciple and Apostle Peter the Key to bind and loose; to forgive? Then again last Sunday he gave his faith community the key to forgive one another to be his loving community? This Sunday, he gives us (His community of disciples today) another key of the Kingdom; Justice. It is revealed in his story relating to our lives, the parable of workers. They were hired at different hours, but all were paid the same amount, that is, one denarius. The image of a denarius represents eternal life, a gift that God reserves for all. The owner of the land wants everybody to be employed and earn a denarius. Being employed at different hours of the day, and getting paid equal amount can challenge our thinking, and truly Jesus want to do to our thinking.

            No wonder then Prophet Isaiah challenges us to know that the Lord’s ways and thoughts are not our ways and thoughts. His wonderful greatness cannot be measured but can only be manifested in the Christian community where everbody uses properly the keys of the kingdom given to it. If we reconcile, forgive one another, and live justly towards one another, then we shall truly be living and working in the Kingdom of God. Again, these keys will make open the doors of our minds to see and know that in the eyes of God we are all equal and there is no room for human ideas of self-importance. We can also see from the life of St. Augustine the saying of Jesus that, the first will be the last and the last be first. Or from Mathew the storyteller of today’s episode who was the hated tax collector, the last in the community to be loved, but the first to receive Jesus and get converted into his faithful follower and narrator of Jesus’ events.

Similarly, do we have members of our Christian community whom we might regard as the last? If the keys that Jesus gives us his Christian disciples can be used to open the door of love, mercy, and justice, they will be the first to unleash their potentials for service in our Christian communities. Are you holding these keys in your hands? Are you opening for all, or you are selective? The delayed decisions that affects the country? The embezzlement of public health funds and political rhetorics at the expense of the poor, the sick, the young, and the voiceless are the manifestations of the unjust country and society.

Follow St. Paul’s encouraging message to be centered in God. Then let us learn to work, pray, and live together seeking the Lord with our heart, mind, and spirit. when we do this, the justice and integrity of God will flow in our lives and his generosity will have no bounds. This is too much for our minds to comprehend, but it’s real.

Christian Action this Week: Promote justice in your ways by filling the gaps in your relationship with God and others. Consider opening an opportunity for someone if you can. Be just.

Joy and peace