I Cor. 9:24-27 * Matt. 20:1-16
We begin the Pre-Lenten Season today. This may be a confusing time for some who
have been in more modern "up-to-date" churches that no longer observe
this time. However, the Penitential season of Lent, which will start on Ash
Wednesday, is so important that we prepare for it with these next few weeks of
the “gesimas.” Septua, Sexa and Quinqua, that is, seven, six and five
weeks before Palm Sunday and Holy Week. It seems like the very opposite of the
times in which we live, very counter to this era of indulgence, that we take
the Penitential season of Lent so seriously that we prepare for it by the
Pre-Lenten season. But, we need to see that our sins and weaknesses are to be
taken seriously, and what we learn from today's parable in the Gospel, teaches
us that only in light of our true need, the goodness and mercy of God
comes across to us.
The Epistle reading says that “In a race all run, but one receiveth the prize.”
The Gospel reading ends with “Many are called, but few are chosen.” This
teaches us not to presume upon the grace of God by willful sinful living. The
over all message of both readings teaches us to receive the grace of God.
The laborers who had borne the heat of the day had every
reason to expect that their reward would be greater than the late comers. When
they saw that those who had worked but one hour were receiving what was, by the
standard of that time and place, a full day’s pay, they assumed that the owner of
the vineyard was loose with his money, that he paid by a higher standard than
was normal, and that they would be paid more. This was only logical, and so it
seemed to them, fair.
To bear the heat of the day is to live the way Saint Paul describes. It is to work hard to
obtain mastery over oneself, over everything that leads to sin and that slows
us down in the race. It is no easy thing. To labor in the vineyard speaks of a
life dedicated to God, and of dedication that is tied into a life within the
Church that involves the development of the virtues, especially of charity. It
is a life of service, and of witness as part of the Church and her mission to
reach the lost. None of this is to be taken lightly.
However, the parable reminds us that our salvation, wrought for us by Jesus
Christ, was not something we earned. Whatever works and goodness we might
achieve, the forgiveness of our sins is not earned by our own efforts. Neither
can we do those extra meritorious things beyond what God requires. Article 14 speaks
to the limits of what we can do:
"XIV. Of Works of Supererogation.Voluntary Works besides, over and above,
God's Commandments, which they call Works of Supererogation, cannot be taught
without arrogancy and impiety: for by them men do declare, that they do not
only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for
his sake, than of bounden duty is required: whereas Christ saith plainly When
ye have done all that are commanded to you, say, We are unprofitable servants."
It is not possible to do works of supererogation. You and I cannot do what God
requires, let alone do more. You are commanded to love God with all of your
heart, soul, mind and strength, and your neighbor as yourself. Even when we
have grown in virtues, even if we live the life of holiness as saints, even if
we receive signs like the stigmata or visions and revelations of the Lord, our
salvation is a gift, and something we cannot obtain by our own efforts.
Christ earned it for us and bought us back from sin and death by the full,
perfect, sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction of Himself once
offered. We were under sentence of death because of sin, eternal separation
from God. The one Who was Himself without sin bore our sins in His own body on
the tree of the cross. He made there the one
and only Atonement.
He is the Lamb of God with His cross, upon which he took away the sins of the
world and made the atonement, the covering- the Kippor- for us. This was
not even our idea, let alone our accomplishment. The dove with the olive branch
comes from the story of Noah. When Noah left the Ark he made his offering, and God was
pleased with the sacrifice and promised not to destroy man from the face of the
earth.
The symbol of the dove in Genesis is that of reconciliation with God. This
reconciliation was made for us by God, by the Person of God the Son in the
flesh, in His sinless human nature, in the likeness of our sinful flesh, dying
as an offender upon the cross for the sins of the whole world. Pilate wrote the
accusation over His head- "Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews."
But, in his Epistle to the Colossians, Saint
Paul tells us that the real accusation over Christ’s
head was the entire Law of God. That Law that He alone kept perfectly; and so
His death was the death of the just for the unjust, the sinless One for the
sinners. He was the One for the many, to make those rendered guilty by one
man’s offense righteous. We are saved by the perfect obedience of the One, by
Christ Who gave Himself up for us with the words, “Not my will, but Thine be
done.”
What we are given, we are given by His goodness, not by our deserving. It is
all by grace.
A good confessor always reminds the penitent that the forgiveness of sins is
given because Christ died for us. The act of penance does not earn the
forgiveness, and, in fact, penance is done after the Absolution. Rather,
penance is meant to strengthen and reinforce repentance and amendment of life,
to direct the mind and heart towards God.* Do you know why the “Comfortable
Words” follow the General Confession and General Absolution in our liturgy?
Well, I can think of three reasons:
1.To make clear that the forgiveness of sins is real
2.That it is the gift of God to us through Jesus Christ
3. and as a light and general penance.
Whatever you feel you deserve, we are going to make the Confession of sin in a
few minutes. The day’s pay is being given, not because of your labors but
because of Christ’s labor on your behalf. And, the gift of Absolution that is
given is the same for everyone who believes and with a true heart repents. We
are unprofitable servants, and what is given to us is due to His goodness.
* For more thoughts on penance, click on this
link.
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