No Fair!

Bulletin Article 9/18

“God isn’t fair!” a student called out in class one day. I looked at the 11 year old with a smile and said, “What do you mean?” The student replied innocently, “Everything I want, God says I can’t have.” “EVERYTHING? So you don’t want happiness, love, and eternal life?” I said jokingly. I continued by saying, “Suppose I came into class the first day and gave you all of the money I have in my bank account, all of the clothes that I own, all of the food I have, and all of my other possessions. Would you like that?” “OH YEAH!” the student replied. “And then let’s say I told you that in order to pass the class you needed to come just one hour a week, would that sound like a good idea? Is that fair?” His hesitated for a moment and then said, “No..yes..no? Well it seems unfair to you. You gave me all you had and I just have to show up. I don’t need to do any work or read or participate!” I simply said, “Exactly.”

This week’s Gospel can seem unfair. If you are a senior in college, think of it this way. You spend four years studying for exams, writing papers, working (unpaid) internships, and reading countless articles for that one day where you get to walk through the Ramapo Arch, pass your tassel from the right to the left, and get your degree. You turn to the person to your left and notice that they just began last year—they studied for one year and earned the same degree as you! NOT FAIR! What’s amazing about this passage is that God continues to challenge those of us who think that we are owed something. It challenges us to realize that our lives are about what we owe HIM.

I am amazed as I encounter new people from different areas and age groups. I find an overwhelming sense of entitlement among most people these days. Whether it is someone who has been working for 40 years or someone right out of college, we as a society seem to think that because we have done a certain act or duty or achieved a certain status that we are owed something. I fall into this thought process as well. After receiving my Master’s degree, I thought that I deserved a premier spot within the Church. I applied to numerous PhD programs both in the United States and Rome with hopes that I would earn my doctorate and become a young, vibrant Theology professor that would ignite a fire in the hearts of the youth of our Church. God had other plans. His plan was to have me coordinate a Junior High Faith Formation program and teach middle school students and then come here to ICC and Ramapo to serve the Young Adults in our Parish Community. I could simply say, “God that isn’t fair; it’s not what I want.” (Which I did for a little while) but I don’t want to be the complaining vineyard worker. I want to give everything I have while I am working in that field so that I may truly earn that wage. I find myself coming to the same conclusion my student came to-I owe something to God, since He gave everything for me.

Fortunately, I have heard God’s call at a young age and I have, God willing, roughly 60 years of working in his vineyard before I receive my “wages.” But knowing that these wages equal eternal life is what keeps me working as hard as I can. I am not looking to earn over time or time and a half, because my wages equal everything I could possibly ever need or want-eternally being united to the God who created me. I know there will be people who start working in the vineyard long after me. I know there will be those who come in at the last minute and get paid just the same. That’s ok because Jesus gave everything he had for me. I owe him more than an hour-more than a day. I owe Him all that I have. I owe Him my life. Which worker are you? Are you satisfied with your wages?