THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEIR REWARD

2Kings 2,1.6-14; Ps 30; Mt 6,1-6.16-18
20 JUNE
It is a good thing to let ourselves be helped by the Gospel to understand the Gospel. The Christian is one whom the Lord has called daily to work in his vineyard.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire labourers 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?’ hey 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 labourers 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” (Mt 20,1-16).

From the moment of the call until the evening the worker is of the master, he has sold himself to him, for a just compensation. If he is sold to the owner, he does not belong to himself and does not belong to anyone else. The sale is for the whole day. The pact must be respected. If you are of the master, you must work only for the master. If one went to work daily for himself, in the evening he cannot pretend to be paid by his master. If the Christian wants to be rewarded with reward on earth and in the heavens by his God, who called him Daily, he must work only for his glory. Instead, if he works to take care of his personal interests, he is not entitled to any reward.

“(But) take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.

Jesus comes to our earth. He sold his day to the Lord. The day goes from the moment of conception until death. He has done everything for the glory of the Father. He even lived the crucifixion to glorify his Father. The Father gave him eternal glory together with the redemption of humanity. The Christian, from the moment of baptism sells himself to Christ. If he wants the eternal reward, he must consecrate his day to Christ. He must work to manifest to the world the glory of his Redeemer and Saviour. But today these simple, elementary truths do not exist. Everyone wants to live for his glory and then he pretends the eternal pay of his Lord.

Virgin consecrated to God, Angels and Saints, make us faithful to the covenant with Jesus.