"The Last Will Be First, The First Will Be Last."

 "'This story throws light on the kingdom of heaven: A landowner went out early in the morning, to hire workers for his vineyard.  He agreed to pay each worker the usual daily wage, and sent them to his vineyard.

He went out again, at about nine in the morning, and, seeing others idle in the town square, he said to them, 'You also, go to my vineyard, and I will pay you what is just.'  So they went.

The owner went out at midday, and, again, at three in the afternoon, and he made the same offer.  Again he went out, at the last working hour--the eleventh--and he saw others standing around.  So he said to them, 'Why do you stand idle the whole day?'  They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.'  The master said, 'Go, and work in my vineyard.'

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the workers and pay them their wage, beginning with the last and ending with the first.'  Those who had gone to work at the eleventh hour came up, and were each given a silver coin.  When it was the turn of the first, they thought they would receive more.  But they, too, received one silver coin.  On receiving it, they began to grumble against the landowner.

They said, 'These last, hardly worked an hour; yet, you have treated them the same as us, who have endured the heavy work of the day and the heat.'  The owner said to one of them, 'Friend, I have not been unjust to you.  Did we not agree on one silver coin per day?  So, take what is yours and go.  I want to give to the last the same as I give to you.  Don't I have the right to do as I please with what is mine?  Why are you envious when I am kind?'

So will it be: the last will be first, the first will be last.'" - Matthew 20:1-16 

(Many are surprised at this parable.  They find it unfair to give the same reward to everyone, without taking into account the labor and sacrifices of everyone.

Without doubt JESUS wanted to shock us nd shatter the idea we obstinately cling to: that we have merits that GOD must recognize.  However we should pay closer attention to the story: JESUS makes a comparison, not of several laborers, but of several groups of laborers.  Each group represents a nation or a social class, and while some of them have long ago received the word of GOD, others have just become believers.

All throughout history, GOD has been calling different people to work in HIS vineyard.  HE called Abraham first and placed his descendants in charge of his work in the world.  Later on, during the time of Moses many others joined his group in order to leave Egypt and that has continued throughout history.  The elders never cease to claim their right to receive better treatment than the others.  Actually the vineyard has not been confided to them exclusively.

Then, with the coming of CHRIST, the Gospel was brought to other nations that were until then pagan.  They came into the Church and shaped Christianity.  They also claimed to be owners of the kingdom of GOD and the Church.

To this day, there are also social groups that are amazed  when the Church criticizes their demand for privileges and does not assign them the first benches in the temple for they had always believed that the Church was theirs.

In this parable, all are treated on equal terms and receive one silver coin each.  Let them be happy for having been invited to work, as they were unemployed.)

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