Rito Romano
XXV Domenica del Tempo Ordinario – 24 settembre 2023
Is 55,6-9; Sal 144; Fil 1,20-24.27; Mt 20,1-16
Rito Ambrosiano
Is 63,19b-64,10; Sal 76; Eb 9,1-12; Gv 6,24-35
IV Domenica dopo il Martirio di san Giovanni il Precursore.
1) Dio non è ingiusto, è generoso.
La prima lettura della Messa di oggi è composta dai vv. 6-9 dell'ultimo capitolo del libro di Isaia: il 55mo. In questi versetti il profeta è ispirato da Dio che dice:: “Quanto il cielo sovrasta la terra, tanto le mie vie sovrano le vostre vie, i miei pensieri sovrastano i vostri pensieri” (Is 55, 6-9). Oggi, Cristo per farci conoscere il pensiero di Dio racconta una parabola magnifica che descrive un modo di pensare e di agire umanamente paradossale.
Infatti la parabola termina così: “Quando fu sera, il padrone della vigna disse al suo fattore: “Chiama i lavoratori e dai loro la paga, incominciando dagli ultimi fino ai primi”. Venuti quelli delle cinque del pomeriggio, ricevettero ciascuno un denaro. Quando arrivarono i primi, pensarono che avrebbero ricevuto di più. Ma anche loro ricevettero ciascuno un denaro. Nel ritirarlo, però, mormoravano contro il padrone”.
Questo padrone li ha sconvolti perché gli ultimi sono pagati per primi, e ricevono per un’ora sola di lavoro la paga di un giorno intero. La generosità del padrone verso gli operai dell’ultima ora aveva suscitato negli operai delle prime ore l’aspettativa ingiustificata di ricevere una paga superiore a quella convenuta. Questi se ne lamentano, ma il padrone fa notare loro che lui ha rispettato la giustizia nei loro confronti, se poi vuole essere generoso con gli altri, è un suo diritto quello di dare quanto vuole agli altri.
Dio non è ingiusto, è generoso. Non toglie nulla ai primi, dona generosamente agli altri. E lancia tutti in un'avventura sconosciuta: quella della bontà. Che non è giusta, è oltre, è molto di più. La giustizia umana è dare a ciascuno il suo, quella di Dio è dare a ciascuno il meglio.
Dio non solo è generoso, è bontà amorosa e infinita. Lui non paga, regala, dona con abbondanza gratuita. Lui è il Dio della bontà senza limite, vertigine nei normali pensieri, che trasgredisce tutte le regole dell'economia, che sa saziarci di sorprese. Nessun padrone farebbe così. Ma Dio non è un padrone, neanche il migliore dei padroni. Dio non è il ragioniere dell’umanità e non paga secondo ciò che è giusto nel senso distributivo del termine. Lui è il Padre che dai ai figli secondo ciò che è meglio per loro. La giustizia “distributiva” non rende all’essere umano tutto il “suo” che gli è dovuto. Come e più del pane, l’uomo ha bisogno di Dio. Sant’Agostino scrive: “Se la giustizia è la virtù che distribuisce a ciascuno il suo... non è giustizia dell’uomo quella che sottrae l’uomo al vero Dio. (La Città di Dio, 19, 21)
Se lui, il Padrone divino, agisce come agisce, non è perché trascura chi ha lavorato di più, ma perché ama anche gli ultimi. Non è violata la giustizia (il padrone dà ai primi chiamati quanto insieme hanno concordato), ma la proporzionalità distributiva. Lo spazio dell'agire di Dio è quello largo della bontà non quello ristretto del “tanto-quanto”. Il Dio del Vangelo non è senza la giustizia, ma non si lascia imprigionare nello spazio ristretto della proporzionalità. All’uomo la proporzionalità distributiva sembra essere l’applicazione la più giusta possibile di una legge, ma questo non vale per Dio. Se vogliamo entrare nel mistero amoroso di Dio, dobbiamo liberaci dallo schema della rigida proporzionalità nelle nostre relazioni.
Questo modo di pensare e di agire deve essere imparato e praticato da noi “per fedeltà a Colui che non si stanca mai di passare e ripassare nelle piazze degli uomini fino all’undicesima ora per proporre il suo invito d’amore” (Papa Francesco) e ricevere Cristo come “denaro”, come ricompensa del nostro lavoro nella vigna del Padre.
2) Giustizia e grazia.
La giustizia di Dio viene dalla grazia, perché non siamo noi, che ripariamo, guariamo noi stesso e gli altri. Il fatto che l’“espiazione” avvenga nel “sangue” di Gesù significa che non sono i nostri sacrifici a liberarci dal peso delle colpe, ma è il gesto dell’amore di Dio che si apre fino all’estremo, fino a far passare in sé “la maledizione” che spetta a noi, poveri essere umani, per trasmetterci in cambio la “benedizione” che spetta a Dio (cfr Gal 3,13-14).
Il lavoro che svolgiamo nella vigna del Signore ci “merita” la ricompensa non nel senso che Dio ci deve pagare, ma nel senso che con questo umile e lieto lavoro la nostra mente e il nostro cuore si aprono alla grazia che ci ricrea nella misericordia.
Se dicessimo che Dio è giusto se ci paga il denaro pattuito, come potremmo dire che la giustizia è là dove il giusto muore per il colpevole e il colpevole riceve in cambio la benedizione che spetta al giusto? Ciascuno non viene così a ricevere il contrario di quanto gli spetta? In realtà, la giustizia divina è profondamente diversa da quella umana. Dio ha pagato per noi nel suo Figlio il prezzo del riscatto, un prezzo davvero sproporzionato.
La giustizia della Croce mette in evidenza che noi siamo autosufficienti, autarchici e che per essere pienamente noi stessi ma abbiamo bisogno di un Altro.
Questo Altro è il Padre che esce di casa nelle varie ore del giorno per chiamarci a lavorare nella sua vigna e darci la felicità. Queste diverse ore del giorno – come scrive San Gregorio Magno, sono le differenti età della vita umana: “Le prime ore sono l’infanzia della nostra intelligenza. L’ora terza può essere paragonata all’adolescenza, poiché il sole comincia a salire, per così dire, nel senso che gli ardori della gioventù cominciano a riscaldarsi. L’ora sesta è l’età della maturità: il sole vi si stabilisce come punto di equilibrio, poiché l’uomo è arrivato alla pienezza della forza. L’ora nona indica l’anzianità, dove il sole scende in qualche modo dall’alto del cielo, perché gli ardori dell’età matura si raffreddano. Infine l’undicesima ora è l’età che si definisce vecchiaia … Poiché alcuni conducono una vita onesta fin dall’infanzia, altri nell’adolescenza, altri nell’età matura, altri nell’anzianità, altri infine nell’età più avanzata, è come se fossero chiamati alla vigna nelle diverse ore del giorno”.
Dunque dobbiamo esaminare il nostro modo di vivere e guardare se abbiamo cominciato ad agire come gli operai di Dio. Facciamo l’esame di coscienza per vedere se stiamo lavorando nella vigna del Signore lieti di essere suoi collaboratori. E, poi, il Santo Papa continua: “Chi non ha voluto vivere per Dio fino all’ultimo momento della vita è come l’operaio rimasto ozioso fino all’undicesima ora… “Perché ve ne state qui tutto il giorno oziosi?” E’ come dire chiaramente: “Se non avete voluto vivere per Dio in gioventù e nell’età matura, almeno pentitevi nell’ultimo tempo… Venite quanto meno sulle vie della vita”… Il ladrone non è forse venuto all’ultima ora? (Lc 23,39s) Non per l’età avanzata, ma per la sua condanna si è trovato alla sera della vita. Ha confessato Dio sulla croce, e ha reso l’ultimo respiro nel momento in cui il Signore dava la sua sentenza. Ed il Signore del posto, ammettendo il ladrone prima di Pietro nel riposo del paradiso, ha ben distribuito il salario a cominciare dall’ultimo” (San Gregorio Magno, Omelie sul Vangelo, n. 19).
Un esempio di come rispondere nei vari momenti della vita alla vocazione del Signore che chiama a lavorare nella sua vigna ci è dato dalle vergini consacrate. E’ vero che lo specifico del “lavoro” o ministero o servizio, a cui il Rito della Consacrazione le abilita, è quello di vivere la verginità come segno profetico della Parusia, di Cristo che viene definitivamente come sposo. Maè altrettanto vero che il suo servizio è quello di manifestare l’amore della Chiesa sposa verso il suo Cristo., “lavorando” con la preghiera (non dimentichiamo che liturgia vuol dira azione del popolo per Dio e che la litugia è chiamata anche Opus Dei, opera di Dio). Va però tenuto presente anche che “le vergini consacrate nella Chiesa sono quelle donne che, sotto l’ispirazione dello Spirito Santo, fanno voto di castità al fine di amare più ardentemente il Cristo e servire con più libera dedizione i fratelli ... loro compito è quello di attendere alle opere di penitenza e di misericordia, all’attività apostolica e alla preghiera” (Prenotanda al Rito di Consacrazione delle Vergini, 2).
Lettura patristica
San Giovanni Crisostomo (344/354 – 407)
In Matth. 64, 3 s.
A quale scopo, dunque, è stata composta questa parabola, e che fine vuol conseguire? Essa mira a incoraggiare gli uomini che si sono convertiti e hanno cambiato vita in età avanzata, e a evitare che si ritengano inferiori. Questa è la ragione per cui il Signore presenta altri che mal sopportano il fatto che costoro ottengano quei doni; non tanto per mostrare che quelli siano realmente rosi e consumati dall’invidia. Dio ci liberi da tale pensiero; quelli vengono introdotti solo per farci comprendere che gli ultimi arrivati godono di tale onore, che può anche causare invidia. La stessa cosa facciamo anche noi molte volte, quando diciamo ad esempio: Il tale mi ha rimproverato d’averti fatto tale onore. Con ciò noi non vogliamo dire che realmente siamo stati rimproverati, né pensiamo di screditare quell’altro, ma vogliamo dimostrare la grandezza del dono che abbiamo fatto all’amico.
Ma voi ora mi domanderete perché il padrone non fa venire gli operai tutti insieme a lavorare nella vigna. Per quanto dipende dal padrone, egli li ha chiamati tutti insieme, alla stessa ora; però non tutti hanno obbedito subito, e ciò per le diverse disposizioni dei chiamati. Per questo alcuni sono chiamati di buon mattino, altri all’ora terza, altri alla sesta, alla nona, fino all’undicesima ora, ciascuno nel momento in cui è pronto ad ascoltare la sua chiamata. La stessa cosa dichiara anche Paolo dicendo: "Quando è piaciuto a Dio, che mi ha separato dal ventre di mia madre" (Ga 1,15). E quando a Dio è piaciuto? Quando Paolo era pronto ad obbedirgli. Il Signore avrebbe certo desiderato chiamarlo fin dall’inizio della sua vita, ma sapendo che allora Paolo non avrebbe ceduto, ha atteso a chiamarlo nel momento in cui sarebbe stato disposto. Per questo, chiamerà il ladrone all’ultimo momento, ché altrimenti costui non avrebbe risposto alla chiamata. Paolo non gli avrebbe risposto prima, e molto meno, gli avrebbe obbedito il ladrone.
Orbene, se gli operai dicono qui che nessuno li ha presi a soldo, non bisogna pretendere, come già vi dissi, di esaminare e di spiegare ogni minimo dettaglio nelle parabole. E non dimentichiamo che non è il padrone a dire queste parole, ma gli operai dell’ultima ora: il padrone non li rimprovera per non turbarli, e per indurli a lavorare anch’essi nella vigna. Infatti, che egli abbia l’intenzione di chiamarli tutti dal principio lo dimostra la parabola stessa, quando dice che il padrone di casa uscì la mattina di buon’ora ad assoldare operai.
Da ogni parte, quindi, risulta evidente che la parabola è indirizzata sia a coloro che dalla prima età, sia a quelli che in età avanzata e più tardi si danno alla virtù. Ai primi, perché non si insuperbiscano né insultino coloro che vengono all’undicesima ora; agli ultimi, perché sappiano che possono, in breve tempo, recuperare tutto. Siccome, infatti, il Signore aveva in precedenza parlato di fervore e di zelo, di rinuncia delle ricchezze, di disprezzo di tutto ciò che si possiede - il che richiede grande sforzo e un ardore giovanile - per accendere negli ascoltatori la fiamma dell’amore e dar tono alla loro volontà, dimostra ora che pure quelli che sono giunti tardi possono ricevere la ricompensa di tutta la giornata. Tuttavia, non dice esplicitamente questo, per timore che questi si insuperbiscano e siano negligenti e trascurati; mostra invece che tutto è opera della sua bontà e, grazie ad essa, costoro non saranno trascurati, ma riceveranno anch’essi beni ineffabili. Questo è lo scopo principale che Cristo si prefigge nella presente parabola.
Né meravigliatevi se il Signore aggiunge che "saranno primi gli ultimi e ultimi i primi e molti saranno i chiamati e pochi gli eletti" (Mt 20,16). Egli non afferma ciò deducendolo dalla parabola, ma vuole far comprendere che come è successo questo succederà anche quello. Perché qui i primi non sono diventati ultimi ma tutti hanno ottenuto, al di là di quanto potevano aspettarsi e sperare, la stessa ricompensa. Orbene, come è accaduto questo contro ogni speranza e aspettativa e gli ultimi furono messi alla pari coi primi, così accadrà un fatto ancor più grande e straordinario, vale a dire che gli ultimi saranno i primi e i primi saranno dopo di essi.
Lecture patristique
Saint Augustin d’Hippone (354 – 430)
Sermon 87
Les ouvriers de la vigne ou le délai de la conversion
ANALYSE. - Non-seulement nous honorons Dieu ou nous le cultivons, comme disent les Latins, mais lui aussi nous cultive, puisqu'il nous appelle sa vigne. Les ouvriers qu'il emploie à la culture de cette vigne désignent ses différents ministres; ils désignent même chacun de nous, et le dernier donné à tous pour salaire figure l'éternité du bonheur. Pourquoi ne pas répondre à son appel immédiatement? Dirons-nous que nous ne l'avons pas entendu? Mais l'univers entier est plein du bruit et de l'éclat de l'Évangile. Dirons-nous que nous avons toujours le temps, puisque la même récompense est assurée à tous, quelle que soit l'heure où ils commencent à travailler? Le désespoir est à craindre; la présomption n'est pas moins redoutable. Tremblerons-nous devant la désapprobation de certains amis puissants? Mais ils ne nous empêcheraient pas de réclamer les soins d'un médecin habile qu'ils n'aimeraient pas et par qui nous sérions sûrs de recouvrer la santé. Courons tous au grand Médecin des âmes, gardons-nous, si nous ne le connaissons pas encore, de nous mettre en fureur contre lui; prenons garde aussi à la léthargie ou à l'indifférence spirituelle et considérons comme un grand service les importunités pressantes qui ont pour but de nous en faire sortir.
1. On vient de vous lire dans le saint Évangile une parabole convenable à cette saison. Il y est question d'ouvriers qui travaillent dans une vigne, et nous sommes au temps des vendanges, des vendanges matérielles; car il y a aussi des vendanges spirituelles, durant lesquelles Dieu se réjouit de voir le fruit de sa vigne.
Si nous rendons à Dieu un culte, Dieu aussi nous cultive. Nous ne le cultivons pas pour le rendre meilleur, puisque notre culte consiste dans l'adoration et non dans le labour. Mais lui nous cultive comme fait un laboureur de son champ; aussi cette culture nous améliore comme celle du laboureur rend son champ plus fertile; et le fruit que Dieu nous demande consiste dans son culte même. Il montre qu'il nous cultive en ne cessant, d'arracher par sa parole, de nos meurs les germes funestes, de nous ouvrir l'âme avec le soc de ses instructions, et d'y répandre ta semence de ses préceptes pour en attendre des fruits de piété. Quand en effet nous laissons ce laboureur céleste travailler nos coeurs et que nous lui rendons le culte qui lui est dû, nous ne nous montrons pas ingrats;. envers lui et nous lui présentons des fruits qui sont sa joie; ces fruits ne le rendent pas plus riche, mais ils accroissent notre bonheur.
2. Voici maintenant la preuve que Dieu nous cultive, ainsi que je me suis exprimé. Il n'est pas nécessaire de démontrer devant vous que nous rendons un culte à Dieu; chacun répète que l'homme rend à Dieu ce culte. Mais on est tout surpris d'entendre dire que Dieu cultive les hommes; le langage humain ne se sert pas habituellement de ces termes, tandis qu'on répète souvent que les hommes rendent un culte à Dieu. Montrons par conséquent que Dieu cultive les hommes; on pourrait croire, sans cela, qu'il nous est échappé un mot inexact et murmurer intérieurement contre nous, nous accuser même, pour ne savoir pas ce que nous disons. Je veux donc et je dois vous montrer que Dieu nous cultive et qu'il nous cultive comme on cultive une terre, afin de nous rendre meilleurs. Le Seigneur dit dans l'Évangile: «Je suis le cep, vous en êtes les branches et mon Père est le vigneron (1).» Que fait un vigneron? A vous qui l'êtes, je demande: Que fait un vigneron? Sans doute il cultive sa vigne. Si donc Dieu notre Père est vigneron, il a sûrement une vigne qu'il cultive et dont il attend la récolte.
1. Jn 15,1-5
3. Il a planté cette vigne, ainsi que le dit notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ lui même, et il l'a louée à des vignerons qui devaient lui en rendre les fruits aux époques convenables. Afin donc (381) de les leur réclamer, il envoya vers ceux ses serviteurs. Les vignerons les outragèrent, en tirèrent même quelques-uns et dédaignèrent de payer. Il en envoya d'autres: mêmes traitements. Ce père de famille qui avait cultivé le champ, planté et loué sa vigne, se dit alors: «Je leur enverrai mon Fils unique; peut-être au moins le respecteront-ils. Et il leur envoya son Fils en personne. Voici l'héritier, dirent-ils en eux-mêmes, venez, mettons-le à mort, et son héritage sera pour nous.» Effectivement ils le mixent à mort, et le jettent hors de la vigne. Que fera, en venant, le Manne de la vigne à ces mauvais vignerons? On répondit à cette question: «Il fera mourir misérablement ces misérables et louera sa vigne à d'autres vignerons en recevoir le fruit eu son temps.(1)»
Cette vigne fut plantée lorsque la loi fut gravée dans le coeur des Juifs. Dieu ensuite envoya les Prophètes pour en recueillir tes fruits, pour exiger la sainteté; les Prophètes furent couverts d'outrages et mis à mort. Le Fils unique du Père de famille, le Christ vint ensuite; c'est l'héritier qu'ils ont tué. Aussi ont-ils perdu son héritage; leur dessein criminel a tourné contre eux-mêmes. Ils ont tué l'héritier pour accueillir sa succession et pour l'avoir tué ils ont tout perdu.
4. Tout à l'heure encore vous avez entendu dans le saint Évangile cette autre parabole. «Il en est du royaume des cieux comme d'un père de famille qui sortit afin de louer des ouvriers pour sa vigne.» Il sortit le matin, prit ceux qu'il trouva et convint avec eux du salaire d'un denier. Il sortit encore à la troisième heure et il en trouva d'autres qu'il conduisit travailler à sa vigne. A la sixième et à la neuvième heure il en fit autant. Il sortit enfin à la onzième heure, presque au déclin du jour, il rencontra quelques hommes debout dans l'oisiveté. Pourquoi restez-vous ici? leur dit-il; pourquoi ne travaillez-vous pas à la vigne? Parce que personne ne nous a loués, répondirent-ils. Vous aussi, venez, ajouta le Père de famille, et je vous donnerai ce qui conviendra. Il s'agissait d'un denier pour salaire. Mais comment ces derniers, qui ne devaient travailler qu'une heure, auraient-ils osé l'espérer? Ils étaient heureux néanmoins de compter encore sur quelque chose; et pour une heure on les mena au travail.
1. Mt 21,33-41
Le soir venu, le Père de famille ordonna de payer tout le monde, des derniers aux premiers. Il commença donc par ceux qui étaient venus à la dernière heure, et il leur fit donner un denier. En les voyant recevoir et denier, dont on avait convenu avec eux, les premiers arrivés comptèrent sur davantage; en arriva enfin à eux, et ils reçurent un denier. Ils murmurèrent alors contre le Père de famille. Nous avons, dirent-ils, porté le poids du jour et de la chaleur brûlante, et vous ne nous traitez que comme ceux qui ont travaillé une bure seulement dans votre vigne? Le Père de famille, s'adressant à l'un d'eux, lui fit cette réponse pleine de justice: Mon ami, dit-il, je ne viole pas ton droit, c'est-à-dire je ne te trompe pas: je te donne ce qui est convenu. Je ne te trompe pas, puisque je suis fidèle à mon engagement. Je n'ai pas dessein de payer celui-ci, mais de lui donner. Ne puis-je faire de mon bien ce que je veux? Ton oeil est-il jaloux, parce que je suis bon? Si je prenais à quelqu'un ce qui ne m'appartient pas, je serais avec raison traité de voleur et d'homme injuste; je mériterais également d'être accusé de friponnerie et d'infidélité si je ne payais pas ce que je dois. Mais quand j'acquitte mes dettes et que de plus je donne à qui il me plaît, celui que je paie ne saurait me reprocher rien, et celui à qui je donne doit ressentir une joie plus vite. - Il n'y avait, rien à répliquer. Tous ainsi furent égaux; des derniers devinrent les premiers et les premiers les derniers, c'est-à-dire qu'il y eut égalité et non primauté. Que signifie en effet: Les premiers furent les derniers et les derniers les premiers? Qu'ils reçurent autant les uns que tes autres.
5. Pourquoi, alors, commença-t-on par payer les derniers? N'avons-nous pas lu que la récompense sera donnée à tous en même temps? Car d'après un autre passage de l'Évangile que nous avons lu aussi, le Sauveur dira à tous ceux qui seront placés à sa droite: «Venez, les bénis de mon Père, recevez le Royaume qui vous a été préparé dès l'origine du monde (1).» Si donc tous les élus le doivent recevoir en même temps, comment expliquer que les ouvriers de la onzième heure ont été récompensés avant ceux de la première? Vous rendrez grâces à Dieu si je parviens à m'exprimer de manière à vous le faire bien saisir. C'est à lui en effet que vous devez rendre grâces, puisque c'est lui qui vous donne par votre
1. Mt 25,34
Patristic reading
Saint Augustin of Hippo (354 – 420)
Sermo 87
Delivered on the Lord’s day, on that which is written in the gospel, Mt 20,1 “The kingdom of Heaven is like unto a man that was a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.”
1). Ye have heard out of the Holy Gospel a parable well suited to the present season, concerning the labourers in the vineyard. For now is the time of the material1 vintage. Now there is also a spiritual vintage, wherein God rejoiceth in the fruit of His vineyard. For we cultivate God, and God cultivateth us.2 But we do not so cultivate God as to make Him any better thereby. For our cultivation is the labour of the heart, not of the hands.3 He cultivateth us as the husbandman doth his field. In then that He cultivateth us, He maketh us better; because so doth the husbandman make his field better by cultivating it, and the very fruit He seeketh in us is, that we may cultivate Him. The culture He exerciseth on us is, that He ceaseth not to root out by His Word the evil seeds from our hearts, to open our heart, as it were, by the plough of His Word, to plant the seed of His precepts, to wait for the fruit of piety. For when we have so received that culture into our heart, as to cultivate Him well, we are not ungrateful to our Husbandman, but render the fruit wherein He rejoiceth. And our fruit doth not make Him the richer, but us the happier.
2. See then; hear how, as I have said, “God cultivateth us.” For that we cultivate God, there is no need to be proved to you. For all men have this on their tongue, that men cultivate God, but the hearer feels a kind of awe, when he hears that God cultivates man; because it is not after the ordinary usage of men to say, that God cultivateth men, but that men cultivate God. We ought therefore to prove to you, that God also doth cultivate men; lest perchance we be thought to have spoken a word contrary to sound doctrine,4 and men dispute in their heart against us, and as not knowing our meaning, find fault with us. I have determined therefore to show you, that God doth also cultivate us; but as I have said already, as a field, that He may make us better. Thus the Lord saith in the Gospel, “I am the Vine, ye are the branches, My Father is the Husbandman.”5 What doth the Husbandman do? I ask you who are husbandmen. I suppose he cultivates his field. If then God the Father be a Husbandman, He hath a field; and His field He cultivateth, and from it He expecteth fruit.
3. Again, He “planted a vineyard,” as the Lord Jesus Christ Himself saith, “and let it out to husbandmen, who should render Him the fruit in the proper season. And He sent His servants to them to ask for the hire of the vineyard. But they treated them despitefully, and killed some,”6 and contemptuously refused to render the fruits. “He sent others also,” they suffered the like treatment. And then the Householder, the Cultivator of His field, and the Planter, and Letter out of His vineyard, said; “I will send Mine Only Son, it may be they will at least reverence Him.” And so He saith, “He sent His Own Son also. They said among themselves, This is the heir, come, let us kill Him, and the inheritance shall be ours. And they killed Him, and cast Him out of the vineyard. When the Lord of the vineyard cometh, what will He do to those wicked husbandmen? They answered, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out His vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render Him the fruits in their seasons.” The vineyard was planted when the law was given in the hearts of the Jews. The Prophets were sent, seeking fruit, even their good life: the Prophets were treated despitefully by them, and were killed. Christ also was sent, the Only Son of the Householder; and they killed Him who was the Heir, and so lost the inheritance. Their evil counsel turned out contrary to their designs. They killed Him that they might possess the inheritance; and because they killed Him, they lost it.
4. Ye have just heard too the parable out of the Holy Gospel; that “the kingdom of heaven is like unto a householder, which went out to hire labourers into His vineyard. He went out in the morning,” and hired those whom he found, and agreed with them for a denarius as their hire. He “went out again at the third hour, and found others,” and brought them to the labour of the vineyard. “And the sixth and ninth hour he did likewise. He went out also at the eleventh hour,” near the end of the day, “and found some idle and standing still, and he said to them, Why stand ye here?” Why do ye not work in the vineyard? They answered, “Because no man hath hired us.” “Go ye also,” said He, “and whatsoever is right I will give you.”7 His pleasure was to fix their hire at a denarius. How could they who had only to work one hour dare hope for a denarius? Yet they congratulated themselves in the hope that they should receive something. So then these were brought in even for one hour. At the end of the day he ordered the hire to be paid to all, from the last to the first. Then he began to pay at those who had come in at the eleventh hour, and he commanded a denarius to be given them. When they who had come atthe first hour saw that the others had received adenarius, which he had agreed for with themselves “they honed that they should have received more:” and when their turn came, they also received a denarius. “They murmured against the good man of the house, saying, Behold, thou hast made us who have borne the burning and heat of the day, equal and like to those who have laboured but one hour in the vineyard.” And “the good man,” returning a most just answer to one of them, said, “Friend, I do thee no wrong;” that is, “I have not defrauded thee, I have paid thee what I agreed for with thee. “I have done thee no wrong,” for I have paid thee what I agreed for. To this other it is my will not to render a payment, but to bestow a gift. “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?” If I had taken from any one what did not belong to me, rightly I might be blamed, as fraudulent and unjust: if I had not paid any one his due, rightly might I be blamed as fraudulent, and as withholding what belonged to another; but when I pay what is due, and give besides to whom I will, neither can he to whom I owed find fault, and he to whom I gave ought to rejoice the more.” They had nothing to answer; and all were made equal; “and the last became first, and the first last;” by equality8 of treatment, not by inverting their order. For what is the meaning of, “the last were first, and the first last”? That both the first and last received the same.
5. How is it that he began to pay at the last? Are not all, as we read, to receive together? For we read in another place of the Gospel, that He will say to those whom He shall set on the right hand, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world.”9 If all then are to receive together, how do we understand in this place, that they received first who began to work at the eleventh hour, and they last who were hired at the first hour? If I shall be able so to speak, as to reach your understanding, God be thanked. For to Him ought ye to render thanks, who distributeth to you by me; for nought of my own do I distribute. If ye ask me, for example, which of the two has received first, he who has received after one hour, or he who after twelve hours; every man would answer that he who has received after one hour, has received before him who received after twelve hours. So then though they all received at the same hour, yet because some received after one hour, others after twelve hours, they who received after so short a time are said to have received first. The first righteous men, as Abel, and Noe, called as it were at the first hour, will receive together with us the blessedness of the resurrection. Other righteous men after them, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all of their age, called as it were at the third hour, will receive together with us the blessedness of the resurrection. Other righteous men, as Moses, and Aaron, and whosoever with them were called as it were at the sixth hour, will receive together with us the blessedness of the resurrection. After them the Holy Prophets, called as it were at the ninth hour, will receive together with us the same blessedness. In the end of the world all Christians, called as it were at the eleventh hour, will receive with the rest the blessedness of that resurrection. All will receive together; but consider those first men, after how long a time do they receive it? If then those first receive after a long time, we after a short time; though we all receive together, yet we seem to have received first, because our hire will not tarry long in coming.
6. In that hire then shall we be all equal, and the first as the last, and the last as the first; because that denarius is life eternal, and in the life eternal all will be equal. For although through diversity of attainments10 the saints will shine, some more, some less; yet as to this respect, the gift of eternal life, it will be equal to all. For that will not be longer to one, and shorter to another, which is alike everlasting; that which hath no end will have no end either for thee or me. After one sort in that life will be wedded chastity, after another virgin purity; in one sort there will be the fruit of good works, in another sort the crown of martyrdom.11 One in one sort, and another in another; yet in respect. to the living for ever, this man will not live more; than that, nor that than this. For alike without end will they live, though each shall live in hisown brightness: and the denarius in the parable is that life eternal. Let not him then who has received after a long time murmur against him who has received after a short time. To the first, it is a payment; to the other, a free gift;yet the same thing is given alike to both.
7. There is also something like this in this present life, and besides that solution of the parable, by which they who were called at the first hour are understood of Abel and the righteous men of his age, and they at the third, of Abraham and the righteous men of his age, and they at the sixth, of Moses and Aaron and the righteous men of their age, and they at the eleventh, as in the end of the world, of all Christians; besides this solution of the parable, the parable may be seen to have an explanation in respect even of this present life. For they are as it were called at the first hour, who begin to be Christians fresh from their mother’s womb; boys are called as it were at the third, young men at the sixth, they who are verging toward old age, at the ninth hour, and they who are called as if at the eleventh hour, are they who are altogether decrepit; yet all these are to receive the one and the same denarius of eternal life.
8. But, Brethren, hearken ye and understand, lest any put off to come into the vineyard, because he is sure, that, come when he will, he shall receive this denarius. And sure indeed he is that the denarius is promised him; but this is no injunction to put off. For did they who were hired into the vineyard, when the householder came out to them to hire whom he might find, at the third hour for instance, and did hire them, did they say to him, “Wait, we are not going thither till the sixth hour”? or they whom he found at the sixth hour, did they say, “We are not going till the ninth hour”? or they whom he found at the ninth hour, did they say, “We are not going till the eleventh? For he will give to all alike; why should we fatigue ourselves more than we need?” What He was to give, and what He was to do, was in the secret of His own counsel: do thou come when thou art called. For an equal reward is promised to all; but as to this appointed hour of working, there is an important question. For if, for instance, they who are called at the sixth hour, at that age of life that is, in which as in the full heat of noon, is felt the glow of manhood’s years; if they, called thus in manhood, were to say, “Wait, for we have heard in the Gospel that all are to receive the same reward, we will come at the eleventh hour, when we shall have grown old, and shall still receive the same. Why should we add to our labour?” it would be answered them thus, “Art not thou willing to labour now, who dost not know whether thou shalt live to old age? Thou art called at the sixth hour; come. The Householder hath it is true promised thee a denarius, if thou come at the eleventh hour, but whether thou shalt live even to the seventh, no one hath promised thee. I say not to the eleventh, but even to the seventh hour. Why then dost thou put off him that calleth thee, certain as thou art of the reward, but uncertain of the day? Take heed then lest peradventure what he is to give thee by promise, thou take from thyself by delay.” Now if this may rightly be said of infants as belonging to the first hour, if it may be rightly said of boys as belonging to the third, if it may be rightly said of men in the vigour of life, as in the full-day heat of the sixth hour; how much more rightly may it be said of the decrepit? Lo, already is it the eleventh hour, and dost thou yet stand still, and art thou yet slow to come?
9. But perhaps the Householder hath not gone out to call thee? If he hath not gone out, what mean our addresses to you? For we are servants of his household, we are sent to hire labourers. Why standest thou still then? Thou hast now ended the number of thy years; hasten after the denarius. For this is the “going out” of the Householder, the making himself known; forasmuch as he that is in the house is hidden, he is not seen by those who are without; but when he “goeth out” of the house, he is seen by those without. So Christ is in secret, as long as He is not known and acknowledged; but when He is acknowledged, He hath gone out to hire labourers. For now He hath come forth from a hidden place, to be known of men: everywhere Christ is known, Christ is preached; all places whatsoever under the heaven proclaim aloud the glory of Christ. He was in a manner the object of derision and contempt among the Jews, He appeared in low estate and was despised. For He hid His Majesty, and manifested His infirmity. That in Him which was manifested was despised, and that which was hidden was not known. “For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”12 But is He still to be despised now that He sitteth in heaven, if He were despised when He was hanging on the tree? They who crucified Him wagged their head, and standing before His Cross, as though they had attained the fruit of their cruel rage, they said in mockery, “If He be the Son of God, let Him come down from the Cross. He saved others, Himself He cannot save.”13 He came not down, because He lay hid. For with far greater ease could He have come down from the Cross, who had power to rise again from the grave. He showed forth an example of patience for our instruction. He delayed His power, and was not acknowledged. For He had not then gone out to hire labourers He had gone out, He had not made Himself known. On the third day He rose again, He showed Himself to His disciples, ascended into heaven, and sent the Holy Ghost on the fiftieth day after the resurrection, the tenth after the ascension. The Holy Ghost who was sent filled all who were in one room, one hundred and twenty men.14 They “were filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with the tongues of all nations;”15 now was the calling manifest, now He went out to hire. For now the power of truth began to be made known to all. For then even one man having received the Holy Ghost, spake by himself with the tongues of all nations. But now in the Church oneness itself, as one man speaks in the tongues of all nations. For what tongue has not the Christian religion reached? to what limits does it not extend? Now is there no one “who hideth himself from the heat thereof;”16 and delay is still ventured by him who stands still at the eleventh hour.
10. It is plain then, my Brethren, it is plain to all, do ye hold it fast, and be sure of it, that whensoever any one turns himself to the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, from a useless17 or abandoned way of life, all that is past is forgiven him, and as though all his debts were cancelled, a new account is entered into with him. All is entirely forgiven. Let no one be anxious in the thought that there remains anything which is not forgiven him. But on the other hand, let no one rest in a perverse security. For these two things are the death of souls, despair, and perverse hope. For as a good and right hope saveth, so cloth a perverse hope deceive. First, consider how despair deceiveth. There are men, who when they begin to reflect on the evils they have done, think they cannot be forgiven; and whilst they think they cannot be forgiven, forthwith they give up their souls to ruin, and perish through despair, saying in their thoughts, “Now there is no hope for us; for such great sins as we have committed cannot be remitted or pardoned us; why then should we not satisfy our lusts? Let us at least fill up the pleasure of the time present, seeing we have no reward in that which is to come; Let us do what we list,though it be not lawful; that we may at least have a temporal enjoyment, because we cannot18 attain to the receiving an eternal.” In saying such things they perish through despair, either before they believe at all, or when Christians already, they have fallen by evil living into any sins and wickednesses. The Lord of the vineyard goeth forth to them, and by the Prophet Ezekial knocketh, and calleth to them in their despair, and as they turn their backs to Him that calleth them. “In whatsoever day a man shall turn from his most wicked way, I will forget all his iniquities.”19 If they hear and believe this voice, they are recovered from despair, and rise up again from that very deep and bottomless gulf, wherein they had been sunk.
11. But these must fear, lest they fall into another gulf, and they die through a perverse hope, who could not die through despair. For they change their thoughts, which are far different indeed from what they were before, but not less pernicious, and begin again to say in their hearts, “If in whatever day I turn from my most evil way, the merciful God, as He truly promiseth by the Prophet, will forget all my iniquities, why should I turn to-day and not to-morrow? Let this day pass as yesterday, in excess of guilty pleasure, in the full flow of licentiousness, let it wallow in deadly delights; to-morrow I shall ‘turn myself,’ and there will be an end to it.” One may answer thee, An end of what? Of mine iniquities, thou wilt say. Well, rejoice indeed, that to-morrow there will be an end of thine iniquities. But what if before to-morrow thine own end shall be? So then thou dost well indeed to rejoice that God hath promised thee forgiveness for thine iniquities, if thou art converted; but no one has promised thee to-morrow. Or if perchance some astrologer hath promised it, it is a far different thing from God’s promise. Many have these astrologers deceived, in that they have promised themselves advantages, and have found only losses. Therefore for the sake of these again whose hope is wrong, doth the Householder go forth. As He went forth to those who had despaired wrongly, and were lost in their despair, and called them back to hope; so doth He go forth to these also who would perish through an evil hope; and by another book He saith to them, “Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord.”20 As He had said to the others, “In whatsoever day a man shall turn from his most wicked way, I will forget all his iniquities,” and took despair away from them, because they had now given up their soul to perdition, despairing of forgiveness by any means; so doth He go forth to these also who have a mind to perish through hope and delay; and speaketh to them, and chideth them, “Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord, and put not off from day to day; for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come forth, and in the day of vengeance He will destroy thee.” Therefore put not off, shut not against thyself what now is open. Lo, the Giver of forgiveness openeth the door to thee; why dost thou delay? Thou oughtest to rejoice, were He to open after ever so long a time to thy knocking; thou hast not knocked, yet doth He open, and dost thou remain outside? Put not off then. Scripture saith in a certain place, as touching works of mercy, “Say not, Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give;21 when thou canst do the kindness at once; for thou knowest not what may happen on the morrow.” Here then is a precept of not putting off being merciful to another, and wilt thou by putting off be cruel against thine own self? Thou oughtest not to put off to give bread, and wilt thou put off to receive forgiveness? If thou dost not put off in showing pity towards another, “pity thine own soul also in pleasing God.”22 Give alms to thine own soul also. Nay I donot say, give to it, but thrust not back His Hand that would give to thee.
12. But men continually injure themselves exceedingly in their fear to offend others. For good friends have much influence for good, andevil friends for evil. Therefore it was not the Lord’s will to choose first senators, but fishermen, to teach us for our own salvation to disregard the friendship of the powerful. O signal mercy of the Creator! For He knew that had He chosen the senator, he would say, “My rank has been chosen.” If He had first made choice of the rich man, he would say, “My wealth has been chosen.” If He had first made choice of an emperor, he would say,” My power has been chosen.” If the orator he would say, “My eloquence has been chosen.” If of the philosopher, he would say, “My wisdom has been chosen.” Meanwhile He says, let these proud ones be put off awhile, they swell too much. Now there is much difference between substantial size and swelling; both indeed are large, but both are not alike sound. Let them then, He says, be put off, these proud ones, they must be cured by something solid. First give Me, He says, this fisherman. “Come, thou poor one, follow Me; thou hast nothing, thou knowest nothing, follow Me. Thou poor and ignorant23 one, follow Me. There is nothing in thee to inspire awe, but there is much in thee to be filled.” To so copious a fountain an empty vessel should be brought. So the fisherman left his nets, the fisherman received grace, and became a divine orator. See what the Lord did, of whom the Apostle says, “God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, and base things of the world hath God chosen, yea and things which are not, as if they were, that those things which are may be brought to nought.”24 And so now the fishermen’s words are read, and the necks of orators are brought down. Let all empty winds then be taken away, let the smoke be taken away which vanishes as it mounts; let them be utterly despised when the question is of this salvation.
13. If any one in a city had some bodily sickness, and there was in that place some very skilful physician who was an enemy to the sick man’s powerful friends; if any one, I say, in a city were labouring under some dangerous bodily sickness; and there was in the same city a very skilful physician, an enemy as I said, of the sick man’s powerful friends, and they were to say to their friend, “Do not call him in, he knows nothing;” and they were to say this not from any judgment of their mind, but through dislike of him; would he not for his own safety’s sake remove from him the groundless assertions25 of his powerful friends, and with whatever offenceto them, in order that he might live but a few days longer, call that physician in, whom common report had given out as most skilful to drive away the disease of his body? Well, the whole race of mankind is sick, not with diseases of the body, but with sin. There lies one great patient from East to West throughout the world. To cure this great patient came the Almighty Physician down. He humbled Himself even to mortal flesh, as it were to the sick man’s bed. Precepts of health He gives, and is despised; they who do observe them are delivered. He is despised, when powerful friends say, “He knows nothing.” If He knew nothing, His power would not fill the nations. If He knew nothing, He would not have been, before He was with us. If He knew nothing, He would not have sent the Prophets before Him. Are not those things which were foretold of old, fulfilled now? Does not this Physician prove the power of His art by the accomplishment of His promises? Are not deadly errors overturned throughout the whole world; and by the threshing of the world lusts subdued? Let no one say, “The world was better aforetime than now; ever since that Physician began to exercise His art, many dreadful things we witness here.” Marvel not at this? Before that any were in course of healing, the Physician’s residence26 seemed clean of blood; but now rather as seeing what thou dost, shake off all vain delights, and come to the Physician, it is the time of healing, not of pleasure.
14. Let us then think, Brethren, of being cured. If we do not yet know the Physician, yet let us not like frenzied men be violent against Him, or as men in a lethargy turn away from Him. For many through this violence have perished, and many have perished through sleep. The frenzied are they who are made mad for want of sleep. The lethargic are they who are weighed down by excessive sleep. Men are to be found of both these kinds. Against this Physician it is the will of some to be violent, and forasmuch as He is Himself sitting in heaven, they persecute His faithful ones on earth. Yet even such as these He cureth. Many of them having been converted from enemies have become friends, from persecutors have become preachers. Such as these were the Jews, whom, though violent as men in frenzy against Him while He was here, He healed, and prayed for them as He hung upon the Cross. For He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”27 Yet many of them when their fury was calmed, their frenzy as it were got under, came to know God, and Christ. When the Holy Ghost was sent after the Ascension, they were converted to Him whom they crucified, and as believers drunk in the Sacrament His Blood, which in their violence they shed.
15. Of this we have examples. Saul persecuted the members of Jesus Christ, who is now sitting in heaven; grievously did he persecute them in his frenzy, in the loss of his reason, in the transport of his madness. But He with one word, calling to him out of heaven, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?”28 struck down the frantic one, raised him up whole, killed the persecutor, quickened the preacher. And so again many lethargic ones are healed. For to such are they like, who are not violent against Christ, nor malicious against Christians, but who in their delay are only dull and heavy with drowsy words, are slow to open their eyes to the light, and are annoyed with those who would arouse them. “Get away from me,” says the heavy, lethargic man,” I pray thee, get away from me. Why? “I wish to sleep.” But you will die in consequence. He through love of sleep will answer, “I wish to die.” And Love from above calls out “I do not wish it.” Often does the son exhibit this loving affection to an aged father, though he must needs die in a few days; and is now in extreme old age. If he sees that he is lethargic, and knows from the physician that he is oppressed with a lethargic complaint, who tells him “Arouse your father, do not let him sleep, if you would save his life”! Then will the son come to the old man, and beat, and squeeze, or pinch, or prick him, or give him any uneasiness, and all through his dutiful affection to him; and will not allow him to die at once, die though he soon must from very age; and if his life is thus saved, the son rejoices that he has now to live some few days more with him who must soon depart to make way for him. With how much greater affection then ought we to be importunate29 with our friends, with whom we may live not a few days in this world, but in God’s presence for ever! Let them then love us, and do what they hear us say, and worship Him, whom we also worship, that they may receive what we also hope for. “Let us turn to the Lord,” etc.
1 Corporalis.
2 Colit nos Deus et colimus Deum). Conf. B. 13,1.
3 Colimus enim eum adorando non arando.
4 Indisciplinatum.
5 (Jn 15,1 Jn 15,5.
6 (Mt 21,33 etc).
7 (Mt 20,1 etc.
8 Aequando non praeposterando.
9 (Mt 25,34).
10 Meritorum.
11 Passionis).
12 (1Co 2,8
13 (Mt 27,40 Mt 27,42.
14 (Ac 1,15
15 (Ac 2,4
16 (Ps 19,6
17 Superflua.
18 Meremur.
19 (Ez 18,21).
20 (Si 5,7
21 (Pr 3,28
22 (Si 30,23 Vulgate.
23 Idiota.
24 (1Co 1,27-28.
25 Fabulas).
26 Statio.
27 (Lc 23,34
28 (Ac 9,4
29 Molesti.
