Lessons from the parable of the vineyard workers

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

WE can learn a number of precious lessons from the parable of the vineyard workers. (cfr. Mt 20,1-16) One is that we should always be thankful to God for everything that he has given us. We should just make good use of them. We should avoid reproaching God for what may appear to us as some form of unfairness when we notice that others may have better things than what we have.

Another lesson is to avoid comparing ourselves with others if by doing so we would just end up getting jealous or envious. If we have to compare ourselves with others, it should lead us to be edified and inspired by them when they appear to be better off than us, or to edify and inspire others when we have some advantage over them.

Still another lesson is to avoid feeling entitled to some privileges and extra reward when we appear that we have been doing the greater part of any work or development. We should just be contented with what God would give us, or what others may legitimately give us. We should avoid chasing after privileges and rewards which is a clear sign of pride and vanity.

Yes, we have to be thankful to God for everything that we have at any given moment. This should never be neglected even as we try to resolve as fairly as possible whatever cases of injustice, unfairness, inequality and discrimination we may have in this life due to human weakness, limitations and sins. Being thankful assures us of keeping our union with God even as we go about fixing our human problems.

We also have to be wary of the danger of envy and jealousy. It’s that uneasy feeling that others are better than us in some respects. We can even be envious of others who we know are doing evil and yet appear to be having a better time than what we are having. Or it can come as a result of some personal frustrations, defeats and losses while others appear to only have successes and victories.

Many biblical passages refer to it. “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” (James 3,16) “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.” (James 4,2)

Still more: “For you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?” (1 Cor 3,3) “Jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge.” (Proverbs 6,34) Envy truly corrupts us. It inflicts great damage on our humanity.

Envy is usually accompanied by sadness and sometimes by hatred, anger, bad thoughts and impulses of revenge, fault-finding and bitter zeal. It comes as a result of comparing oneself with others without God in the middle. The standards used are highly subjective and restrictive.

We should also be wary of feeling entitled due to what we may have done or accomplished. We may be quite privileged in life because of the many gifts and other endowments God and others may have given us, but we should never feel entitled to anything. Instead, our attitude toward these privileges should be one of willingness to serve more, doing a lot of good while passing unnoticed, and all for the glory of God and for the good of all.

*Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Lessons from the Visitation

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          THE gospel of the 4th Sunday of Advent this year (Year C)

tells us of the many precious lessons we can learn from that beautiful

episode of Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth soon after she learned

that she was going to be the mother of the Son of God and that her

aging and barren cousin was already heavy with child in her womb.

(cfr. Lk 1,39-45)

          In that gospel episode, it is mentioned that Mary went “in

haste.” It is an example worth emulating by everyone, for it is

clearly what is proper to us. A truly good person, a holy one so close

and identified with God, would be quick to serve everybody else,

because that is simply the expression of love. Love is always a matter

of deeds and service, and not just sweet words and good intentions.

          This eagerness to serve would really identify us with Christ

who is our “way, truth and life.” He being God became man to save us,

the greatest service anyone can do. And all throughout his earthly

life, serving was the constant rule that he followed. He was always at

the beck and call of anyone who had need of something.

          Definitely, to be able to serve, one has to be humble. And

that’s what we see in our Lady, and of course, in Christ, first of

all. Pride and all its allies would always extinguish any desire to

serve others. They only are interested in serving their own selves.

          We need to humble ourselves so that we can serve everyone,

and not just those whom we like. We have to serve even those whom we

don’t like and who may not like us. If we are truly humble, our spirit

of service would not make any discrimination among the people. We

would serve everyone, whether they deserve to be served or not.

          A Christian and Marian spirit of service would neither give

rise in us to a certain sense of entitlement and privilege because of

whatever claim of authority or superiority we may have over others.

          While it’s true that we obviously are entitled to our

rights, we should not feel entitled to privileges and favors that are

above our rights and needs. If they come and we cannot avoid them,

then let’s be thankful.

          But let’s be reminded that these privileges, favors and

blessings are meant for us to strengthen our desire to serve and not

to be served. But as it is, we should try to avoid them, since they

tend only to spoil and corrupt us.

          We have to be most wary when we happen to enjoy some

privileged positions or status in life because we tend to think that

we deserve more entitlements. And not only would we expect them. We

may even demand them for us.

          Remember what Christ said once: “Be careful not to practice

your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do,

you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Mt 6,1)

          We need to acquire the mentality of a servant which is

actually the mentality of Christ himself. Let us readjust our human

standards to conform to what is actually proper to us as taught and

lived by Christ. We usually look down on the status of servants. This

has to change! We should be convinced that by becoming a servant we

would be making ourselves like Christ. Let’s say NO to entitlements.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com