According to St. Augustine, “the equal is envious of his equal, the inferior is envious of the superior because he is not his equal. And the superior is envious of the inferior for fear he might become his equal and thus this hateful fever of equality, begotten of envy, divides all society.”

If we could see today the unjust situations envy and jealousy have created among families, friends, and communities, we would try to root them out and keep such thoughts away from our minds and hearts. We could replace this cancerous disease with love, tolerance, understanding, and appreciation of one another.

Let us be generous with our words and with our kindness, as Jesus exhibited in the gospel today. His action towards the last group of workers shows that he is not acting according to strict justice or economics. We can sacrifice to uplift others, even helping them to become better than us, rather than being envious and jealous. If only we could understand this, living and dying for God or for our brethren, would no longer be a tragedy. Instead, it would be a witness to the gospel. What we see in the Gospel today is simply the justice of God. His justice is governed by His generosity and unconditional love for all. The Lord invites everyone to work in His vineyard to bring souls to God. He cares for the salvation of every soul.

The Lord is sending you out to bring souls to His vineyard. The usual wage for everyone is the Kingdom of God, and there is nothing greater than the Kingdom of peace and joy.

In this struggle for the Kingdom of God, it does not matter how long we have been faithful Christians. What matters is achieving the goal – the wage of our faithfulness, dedication and service to God and humanity – which is the Kingdom of God.

May the blessings of the Lord be with you. 

– Fr. Cyprian Ihedoro