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 was speaking to the disciples after he had counseled a young man with many riches. This young man had asked Jesus, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" Jesus had told him that only God was good, that he must follow the commandments He named. The young man asked what he stilled lacked. Jesus said, "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." But the young man went away sad. Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you that 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 asked, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed you. Therefore what shall we have?" So Jesus said to them, "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 gives us a new parable, to further explain His statement in yesterday's reading, that the first shall be last and the last first. My study bible says that the vineyard is the life God gives us in the world, the day is the time of laboring -- that is, the here and now, and 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. 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.' " "Early in the morning and the third, sixth, ninth and eleventh hours," says my study bible, "refer to the different ages of those who draw near to God: those who from earliest youth, from mature age, or from very old age hold to virtue." It's important, too, that we understand that these are traditional hours of prayer throughout the day, as well as hours of the watch. In a historical sense, we can see these also as the times of the age. Many servants will come, some will be first and some will be last. All are those who tend the garden of the Lord, His vines. There is another message here that is very clear: there is always work for those who wish to join in, to participate, to labor for the Lord's wages.

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." What wages do we receive for our work for the Kingdom? My study bible explains the parable this way: "God's generosity provides equal access to and enjoyment of rewards in the life of the Kingdom for both early and late comers. 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 think we can apply this parable to many things, and look at it from many perspectives, as is indicated by the notes in my study bible. But just for today, I'd like to look at it within the context of the verses in Matthew's Gospel. We've just finished reading about the young man with many riches, who asked about inheriting eternal life. Furthermore, before that Jesus taught about the essential quality of humility in this Kingdom, especially as disciples and leaders, and looking after the little ones in the Church. Moreover, He's taught about marriage, its restoration to that of Adam and Eve in the Garden, before their separation from God. If we take this in the context of all of these readings that involve Christ's own teaching on relatedness, on the love of God and the love between human beings, we see a pattern. Material-mindedness cannot grasp the types of relationships and relatedness that the Kingdom confers and embraces in its grace. There is no real first and last in this sense. (This is true also in the embrace of the timeless nature of this Kingdom as well.) And there's another very powerful statement here: the terms aren't really ours to set at all. So in that framework we also have to cast aside our worldly notions, our worldly perspective that sees great and small in a particular viewpoint, hierarchies, ranks, divisions in a particular way, including first and last. Here, God sets the terms of this covenant, this agreement for which we labor as servants in the Kingdom. We are not the ones who declare these terms, these norms, these rules and values of the Kingdom. Therefore, many are called but few are chosen: we are not the ones who do the choosing. It is not entirely up to us. Jesus taught the wealthy young man, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God" and He also emphasized first in His answer the commandments of God. All that we have in this vineyard is truly God's, including all our wealth. Even our labor and our reward -- even our time -- truly belongs to God. Therefore the rules of this Kingdom are not ours; it doesn't work by our standards. There is work for all, for any who come and are called. But God does the choosing. This is where our humility begins, and grace responds. We empty in order to receive, and to learn, and to inherit this Kingdom.