The Master of the Harvest (14th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Fr. Chrysostom B. Exaltacion, SJ
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 3, 2016

Our usual notion of a laborer is that of someone who works to earn his living. After his hard work, he expects the reward which he deserves. If the reward is not commensurate with the amount of work done, he becomes so disappointed and even mutters in discontent. This is the first kind of laborer.

There is, however, another kind of laborer, someone who realizes that he has received something which he never earned or worked for. Because of this realization, filled with great joy and gratitude, he cannot help but love and serve the one who has been so gracious to him. This is the kind of laborer that today’s Gospel speaks about. He is someone who realized that the Master of the harvest has already given him the reward in full, even before he does something. Hence, he cannot help but love and serve the Master with his all.

Sadly, we have in the Church lots of laborers of the first kind. After serving the Lord in their own ways, they expect the Lord to grant their wishes. Otherwise, they would say, “Lord, I pray the rosary everyday and go to Mass every Sunday. How could you allow me to have cancer?” or “Lord, I donate large sums of money to the poor and always involve myself in charity works. How could you allow all my businesses to fail?” or “Lord, I left my family to serve you faithfully as a religious. How could you allow my mother to die like that?”

Only few laborers of the second kind are found in the vineyard of God – those who give without counting the cost, those who fight without heeding the wounds, those who toil without seeking for rest, those who labor without  asking for reward… like St. Paul of Tarsus or St. Ignatius of Loyola. They realize and acknowledge that God has loved them first and has already given them the greatest yet undeserved Gift there is – Jesus Christ – even before they do something for God. For this reason, they “never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal 6:14).

In response to the Gospel, let us pray today to the Master of the harvest to send laborers (of the second kind) for His harvest. May God make of us such laborers to work for His field. May He grant us the grace of awareness to realize how much He has loved us and has given us everything through His Son. In return, may we love and serve Him with our all, and labor with Him with joy – so that all the earth will cry out to God with joy. Amen.