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

Yesterday we read that, after the rich young man had turned away, Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  And again I say to you, 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."  When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "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."  Then Peter answered and said to Him, "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.  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."  My study bible gives an interpretation of this parable:  the vineyard is life in this world.  The day refers both to the span of a single person's life and to the whole of human history.  The laborers are all the people in every nation.  Each hour can refer to times in a person's life, whether infancy, youth, adulthood, maturity, or old age.  There is another understanding possible in the framework of the span of history, in which each hour is seen as referring to those called during the covenants with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and finally Christ.  My study bible tells us that God's generosity provides equal reward for both early and late comers.  Jesus teaches by this parable that the former should not be proud of their long service nor resent those called at the eleventh hour.  For latecomers, it is possible even in a short time or at the end of one's life to recover and inherit everything.  For the early Church, this message specifically applied to the Jews (who are the first-called) and the Gentiles (those called later).  In the present time, we can apply it to those raised in the Church or those who find faith later in life, both of whom will receive an equal reward.  There is a famous paschal sermon attributed to St. John Chrysostom (repeated each year during the Easter service in the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine rite Catholic churches) based on this parable and applied to the preparations of each person for the paschal Eucharist. 

Jesus' parable is given to illustrate His last statement to the disciples in yesterdays' reading:  "But many who are first will be last, and the last first."  He speaks to these earliest members and foundations of His Church, in response to their question about the reward of leaving all and following Him.  In the parable, He clearly gives a picture alluding to the Church and its believers who are to come.  His parable teaches us about the radical equality of the Kingdom, giving us to understand that despite the uniqueness of every circumstance and each believer who will come to labor in this vineyard, the rewards are the same.  Each is called in his or her own way to be a part of this effort, this living, enduring vineyard in which we who participate enter into the labors of others and continue the work of the harvest.  In the historical perspective, we are to understand the ongoing work of God in the world -- that we who are called to follow Him enter into the work of the harvest just as the disciples did.  Jesus tells this parable in the process of following up on His teachings to the rich young man and His speaking to the disciples of leaving wealth behind to follow Him.  The disciples wonder what they will gain in having done so.  Jesus first assured them that each one who leaves behind houses and family for the sake of the Kingdom will reap much greater rewards.   But the parable is given to teach humility on a greater and even more cosmic level, if we may use that term.  Each one who comes will receive their own reward.  The timelessness of the Kingdom is an assurance to us that although each has his or her own part, the reward is equal.  Therefore as citizens and laborers we are assured that it is right that each is called in one's own way, in God's timing, with God's prerogatives for just how this labor will work.  The landowner says in the parable, "Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things?  Or is your eye evil because I am good?"  Therefore we who choose to become a part of this Kingdom are given to understand that its "rules" do not work according to the same structure as worldly concepts.  It is outside of time and space; we all work in this same harvest who come to serve in it.  It is under one authority and one ownership, whose ways are not our ways and whose thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).  We follow in a very long line of those who work in the vineyard, and for the owner whose direction for a harvest stretches from the beginning of Creation.   At the end of John's Gospel, the risen Christ gives St. Peter his direction and instruction for his work of service.  But Peter asks what another disciple should do (considered to be referring to John himself), saying, "But Lord, what about this man?"  Jesus replies to Peter, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me" (see John 21:15-25).  Each of us has our own role to play, and the vineyard owner gives the assignment and the equal reward.  There is one vineyard and one owner; none of us must compare ourselves to the other laborers.  In this we must each accept the humility to do as we are called, "So the last will be first, and the first last.  For many are called, but few chosen."