Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Castel Gandolfo (Agenzia Fides) – Before reciting the Angelus with the faithful gathered in the interior courtyard of the Apostolic Palace at Castel Gandolfo, on Sunday September 21, the Holy Father Benedict XVI commented on the Gospel reading for the Mass of the day, where Jesus tells “parable of the owner of the vineyard, who at different hours of the day calls laborers to come work in his vineyard. And in the evening he gives to all of them the same wage, one denarius, provoking the protest of the laborers who had been there from the first hour.” “It is clear that that denarius represents eternal life, a gift that God reserves for everyone... The first message of this parable is in the fact itself that the owner does not tolerate, so to speak, unemployment: He wants everyone to work in his vineyard. And in reality, being called itself is already the first recompense: Being able to work in the Lord's vineyard, putting yourself at his service, cooperating in his project, constitutes in itself an inestimable reward, which repays all toil. But this is understood only by those who love the Lord and his Kingdom. Those who, instead, work solely for the pay will never recognize the value of this priceless treasure.”
Saint Matthew, the apostle and evangelist who gives the account of this parable, has himself lived this same experience, the Holy Father said. “In fact, before Jesus called him, Matthew was employed as a publican and for this reason was considered a public sinner by the Jews and was excluded from ‘the Lord's vineyard.’ But everything changes when Jesus, walking by the customs house, looks at him and says ‘Follow me.’ Matthew got up and followed him. From publican he immediately became a disciple of Christ. From being ‘last’ he finds himself as ‘first,’ thanks to the logic of God, which -- for our good fortune! -- is different from the world's logic.” Benedict XVI then mentioned Saint Paul, who “experienced the joy of feeling himself called by the Lord and working in his vineyard. And how much work he did! But, as he himself confessed, it was God's grace that worked through him, that grace that transformed him from a persecutor of the Church into an apostle of the Gentiles...Paul understood well that working for the Lord is already recompense on this earth.”
After the Angelus, the Holy Father made appeals for two causes, saying: “In recent weeks Caribbean countries -- Haiti, Cuba and the Dominican Republic in particular -- and the southern United States, especially Texas, have been hit hard by hurricanes. I would again like to assure all of those dear people that I am remembering them in my prayers. I hope that help will soon arrive in the areas that have suffered the most damage. The Lord desires that, at least in these circumstances, solidarity and fraternity prevail above all else.” Benedict XVI then recalled that on September 25, there will be a high level meeting, in the context of the 63rd General Assembly of the United Nations, to verify the accomplishment of the objectives established by the "Millennium Declaration" of Sept. 8, 2000. The Holy Father continued: “On the occasion of this important gathering, in which the leaders of all the countries of the world will be together, I would like to renew the invitation to take up and apply with courage the necessary measures to eliminate extreme poverty, hunger and lack of education and the scourge of the pandemics that harm the most vulnerable above all. Such a commitment, while demanding sacrifices in these moments of worldwide economic difficulties, will not be without important benefits for the development of nations who are in need of help and for the peace and well-being of the entire planet.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 22/9/2008)
