So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.' So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good? So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

- Matthew 20:1-16

In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued His teachings after the encounter with the young ruler. In that reading, the young man asked what good thing he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus first told him to follow the commandments, which the young ruler said he always had done. What did he lack? Jesus told him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." The young man went away sad, for he had many possessions. In yesterday's reading, Jesus spoke to His disciples about this encounter. He said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." The disciples wondered who, then, could be saved? Jesus replied, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Peter answered that they had left all to follow Him. Jesus said, ""Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard." Jesus replies with a parable to illustrate His last words to the disciples in yesterday's reading. The vineyard is the world in which they labor for the kingdom; the owner, of course, is God. My study bible specifies that "the vineyard is the life God gives us in the world; the day is the time of laboring, the here and now; the laborers are those He calls to fulfill His commandments."

"And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went." The vineyard owner goes out later in the morning to find yet more laborers. In the sense in which my study bible sees this parable, we can compare it to the constant call of Christ. It comes to us at all stages of life -- and we are free to join in to this labor at any time, no matter what our age. In another sense, we may see this parable as speaking about the age in which we currently live, in which the laborers continue to do the work of the kingdom in the world, to work to produce the fruit of the vines, and the wine that will celebrate the ultimate wedding feast of the Bridegroom with His Church.

"Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'" Tellingly, all the hours that Jesus names are the times of the day for prayer, and today we continue with the system of prayers of the hours in many branches of the Church. In this parallel, we can see prayer for the Kingdom as a part of this work. The "day" can be seen as the lifetime of the person, if we wish to read it that way. Each can be called to work for the Kingdom at any time.

"So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.'" Here, we must recall Jesus' words to the disciples from yesterday's reading: "But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

"And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.'" Let us consider the ways in which we can view this parable, along with the disciples to whom it is told in the gospel. My study bible says that those called at different hours represent the different ages of those who draw near to God in life: "those who from earliest youth, from mature age, or from very old age hold to virtue." (We recall what Jesus taught the young ruler he must do to inherit eternal life.) It continues, "God's generosity provides equal access to and enjoyment of rewards in the life of the Kingdom for both early and late comers." In addition, I believe we can also see this parable as that of the work for the kingdom in the life of the Church: there are those who suffered in ways that others do not; the Church has her apostles and saints, her martyrs and those who sacrificed -- all come to Christ in the ways in which they are called throughout her history, as the time and circumstances demand. A Christian life can come anytime, in any place, under any circumstances, no matter how or when we are called. The apostles, of course, are the foundation of this Church. But that does not neglect the work of those who will come later. Even in Jesus' own time, and immediately following His death in the lifetimes of the disciples, many will join them later to serve.

"But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good? So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen." My study bible says, "Jesus teaches the former they should neither be proud of their long service, nor question those called at the eleventh hour -- lest they themselves lose all. To the latter, He teaches it is possible even in a short time to recover everything. In Jesus' ministry this parable applies to the Pharisees and sinners, while in the early Church it applies to Jews and Gentiles. St. John Chrysostom's famous Easter sermon is based on this parable; for him the reward is the Lord's rich banquet of the Easter Eucharist." I see in this parable a great promise, and that promise is made equally to all of us, to each of us. How do we labor? How long do we labor? When are we called? All of these questions can be seen in terms of the life of the Church, or the times in which we are called, or equally, the time in our lives we are called. It all depends on how we respond, but even more deeply on how the Lord chooses. It should be noted that to have "an evil eye" is a common expression in the Near and Mid East that denotes envy or covetousness. Jesus is preparing us, and His disciples, to take note of the ways in which we look and see -- and here specifically He continues to address concepts of leadership in the Church, and the great humility required for her service.

Over the past week, we've been given teachings by Jesus that are especially directed at teaching the required humility in the leadership of His church. (See all the readings beginning last Thursday through today.) Today, He gets down to the heart of the question of service: who serves best? who serves most? who then gets the greatest reward? And the powerful message we get in return is really that it all depends on how He chooses. It's really not up to us to determine who is more deserving, who gets what, which service is best or better, or to look with "evil eye" in any sense at the work of the kingdom and the workers within it. We are called as we are called, and this is what we pay attention to -- our relationship with Him comes first, and determines our relationship to others. (In a nutshell, these are the two greatest commandments, which will be given us later on in Matthew's gospel.) Jesus' teaching gives us -- and the disciples -- focus. Whom do we serve? What do we serve? Who sets the terms of our service? And in serving, what is it that we must pay attention to? It is reminiscent of the last story we read in John's gospel, when Peter and John see the risen Christ for the last time. Jesus tells Peter three times to "feed my lambs." But Peter, standing in for all of us as he so often does, then turns to John and asks, "What shall this man do?" Jesus replies, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me." And so it is, we "follow Him." He sets the terms of our service, and we respond to the call. We are given the day to do so, just as the Father sets the times for all things, even the end of the age. Let us be grateful for our vineyard and the work we are to do, and the rewards the Lord calls us to, whatever they may be. For many are called, but few chosen. Today in the United States, it is a day for giving thanks. Let us remember the good things the Lord has done for us, including the work He calls us to do, and the reward of His promise.