WORD FOR MISSION

Missionary reflection  on Sunday Liturgy

EVERYBODY IN MISSION

in a vineyard as big as the world

XXV Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year “A” - Sunday 18.09.2005

Isaiah 55:6-9

Psalm 144

Philippians 1:20-27

Matthew  20:1-16

Reflections

The passage from Isaiah (1st Reading), written towards the end of the Babylonian Exile, gives us clues to the understanding of the surprising, irrational and provocative attitude of the owner of the vineyard in the Parable of Jesus: "my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways not your ways" (v.8). The Responsorial Psalm exalts in the Lord who is patient and merciful, kind towards all, and whose greatness cannot be measured. It is only with this in mind that we can approach the mystery of God and of His choices. To capture the message of Jesus in the Gospel, one must move out from the parameters of a fixed and exact logic, leave aside the mentality of the accountant, and opt for spontaneity, adopt the logic of one who is in love. Jesus certainly shakes the frequently-found doctrine of 'merit' , according to which salvation should be almost the right of the one who has "done a heavy day's work in all the heat" (v.12), the salary due to those who carry out certain given activities; by which the more one does, the more one earns divine favour. The complaints against the landowner (v.11-12) come from people who are self-righteous and petty, like the prophet Jonah (Jon.4:1-2) and the elder son in the Parable in Luke (15:29-30), quite unable to understand the love of the father, envious and piqued by the pardon and the welcome given to the people of Niniveh and the younger son.

The Kingdom of God and his salvation have a missionary dimension: they are universal. They are gifts accessible to all, even (and especially) to the least, the sinners, the humble. "Jesus' manner is identical towards all, Jews and pagans, the just and sinners. The old Alliance based on right and justice is replaced by the new one, founded exclusively on grace. The Kingdom of God is God's gift, not a salary for the works of the Law. Salvation is not a recompense given through a contract, but is, first and foremost, a divine initiative, made up of love and communion to which men and women are invited, to participate in it with joy and without limitations" (G. Ravasi). Including the poor and the neglected, because God cares even for the ones to whom nobody has given a day's work (v.7). God is a loving master: He welcomes everyone, rejects nobody; but He is free to have his own way of doing things (v.15). He reveals a new hierarchy of values and of relationships with people. By human standards they turn things on their head (1st Reading), but this is the hierarchy of the definitive Kingdom.

The owner of the vineyard is an image of God, who calls everyone to work for the Kingdom: He calls at any time, at any age or condition. He calls each one individually, for different tasks... He has a great heart, and asks only that the workers trust Him, work for His Kingdom, for love, freely. He calls some (many) to be workers and missionaries at daybreak: to these he grants the honour of being associated from the first hour in the work for the Kingdom. For those who have grasped the logic of love and of service, the burden of the day and the heat are not a chastisement, but a privilege. In 2003 a Continental Missionary Congress was celebrated in Guatemala with the theme: "Church in America, your life is Mission!" Mission in many ways, in every place, at all times, and especially to those furthest off. To live with a vision that is as wide as the world is a grace that renews persons, communities, the Church itself. That is how Paul understood it (2nd Reading), being determined "to stay alive in this body... for your sake." And therefore he urges the Philippians to behave like citizens of the Gospel (cf. v.27).

“You go into my vineyard too” (Mt 20:4) is the missionary call/command of a Master who has vast and urgent projects, because "the harvest is great, but the labourers are few" (Mt.9:37). It is a call with a special meaning now, given the closeness of the missionary month of October and World Mission Sunday. *

The Pope's words

*  “I sense that the moment has come to commit all of the Church's energies to a new evangelisation and to the mission ad gentes. No believer in Christ, no institution of the Church can avoid this supreme duty: to proclaim Christ to all peoples”.

John Paul II

Redemptoris Missio (1990) 3

 “At the beginning of the third millennium, the Church feels with renewed intensity that Christ's missionary mandate is more timely than ever”.

Benedict XVI

Homily in St. Paul's Basilica, Rome 25.4.2005

In the steps of Missionaries

- 20/9: Sts. Andrew Kim Taegon, the first Korean priest, Paul Chong Hasang, layman, and their 103 companions, martyred in Korea at various times between 1839 and 1867. They were Canonised in Seoul in 1984.

- 21/9: St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist. After the Ascension, tradition says he evangelised in Persia, Syria and Ethiopia.

- 23/9: St. Pio da Pietrelcina (Francesco Forgione, 1887-1968), known world-wide as 'Padre Pio'. He was a Capuchin friar, marked by special spiritual gifts. He was especially dedicated to the ministry of Reconciliation, and to helping those in need. His holiness can be said to have affected the whole world, so is very 'missionary'.

- 23/9: Blessed Cristoforo, Antonio and Juan, young men in Tlaxcala (Mexico) who were martyred in the early years of missionary work in the area (1527-1529).

- 24/9: Our Lady of Ransom: a title that proclaims the divine Mercy, and has inspired the missionary apostolate for the liberation of slaves.

- 24/9: Bl. Anthony Martin Slomsek (+1862), Bishop of Maribor (Slovenia). He paid special attention to the Christian formation of families and of the clergy, and worked for Christian Unity..

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Editor: Fr. Romeo Ballan, mcci - Former Director of CIAM, Rome

Website:    www.ciam.org http://www.ciam.org/ “Word for Mission”

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