This parable probably irritates you, bringing to mind a common complaint, “Life isn’t fair!” That is certainly how some laborers felt after working all day in the scorching sun. Yes, they were paid what they had agreed to, but they became resentful when those who worked far less received the same pay as they did.
At least they were paid. For centuries, many people literally slaved without any manner of compensation. When the Civil War began in 1861, one in seven Americans was owned by another American. I doubt any of them thought life was fair.
Over 150 years have passed since this nation’s bloodiest war ended. Despite all the efforts and accomplishments of both black and white Americans since then, despite all of our worthy civil rights legislation, and despite the Church’s fierce stance against the sin of racism, America’s original sin continues to raise its ugly head.
The Civil War ended when Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses Grant but remnants of the cause of that war still linger. Racism lingers in the jokes we tell, the choices we make, the friends we keep, the places where we live, and the candidates we vote for or against.
The notion of racism continues to be debated in our society today with some even denying that it exists. For many, racism is simply a fact of life. Racism is like a common cold. Everyone is susceptible to this “virus.” The sin of racism brings misery to all. As embarrassing and controversial as it is, we need to consider racism in light of this gospel.
This parable bothers us because it reaches deep into our souls and into those places where we cry out, “Life isn’t fair!”
The parable takes us back to our childhood when our brothers and sisters seemed to get the bigger piece of the pie, a nicer bike, or a better break than we did.
This parable makes us itch because we are reminded of those times in our lives when we were left without a date, without being picked by a team or chosen by the teacher or the boss. Yes, there are many times in our lives when we wanted to say, “Life isn’t fair!”
Today’s parable makes us squirm because it strikes close to home, reminding us of the times when certain minorities, like African-Americans, Native Americans, Asians, Pacific islanders, and Hispanics seem to get preferential treatment. “It’s just not fair!” On the other hand, many of them would also say, “Life isn’t fair!” The latest issue of Northwest Catholic relates how some of them experienced racism.
That’s why it’s important for us to realize that Jesus told this parable because some good religious people, like the Pharisees and the scribes, complained that they were scandalized when he socialized with sinners in their midst like tax-collectors and prostitutes.
They somehow thought that God favored them for following the law. But Jesus told them, “Not so.” He urged them to rejoice in the fact that all peoples are treated equally by God and are invited to the kingdom, the first as well as the last, the faithful as well as the sinner, old-timers as well as new-timers.
Jesus told his listeners that our faith cannot be measured by our ways but by God’s ways because God is more generous, more loving, more forgiving, and more merciful than our little minds could ever imagine.
In the decades ahead, our nation and church will continue to be challenged by increasing numbers of “minorities” in our society. By the middle of this century, the average US resident will trace his or her ancestry to almost anywhere but white Europe. This will be a different nation and church then.
We can continue to protest, “It’s not fair!” but the gospel encourages us to sing a different tune. In that same issue of Northwest Catholic, Deacon Carl Chilo, the director of multicultural ministries for the Archdiocese, observed, “our faith in Jesus is stronger than the pervasiveness of racism and it can—and will—carry us to the promised land.” He then notes, “Among the many obstacles to overcoming racism is the troubling tendency of many people to deny its very existence, preferring instead to live in blissful ignorance of the daily reality experienced by many people.
“As Catholic Christians, we are called to ongoing conversion. We are called to respect the dignity and equality of all people regardless of differences.” Pope Francis tells us, “We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life.”
In our first reading, God, who is generous and forgiving, reminds us, “my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways.” There is no room in God’s heart for racism and inequality. So long as we ignore God’s ways, the turmoil of racism will persist. Yet when we come to realize that God treats us all equally and decide to do the same, then we come that much closer to making the kingdom of God a reality in our lives. When we treat others fairly, then we can count on God to treat us fairly.