Who decides..?
Who decides what is fair or unjust? Pope Leo XIV reminds us that a truly just society recognises the dignity of every human life. Who was respected in this parable? Let's think about those labourers who found that the others had been paid as much as they had, even though they had toiled all day. Of course it didn't feel fair to them and we can probably identify with that. Yet they earned what they had been promised.
Do we even spare a thought for the people who seem to have had it easier, but stood in the market square all day? They had the heat of the sun beating down on them, the despair of not getting a job or earning money to feed their families or simply stay alive, and the ignominy of not being chosen.
Might we stop to think why they weren't chosen? Who are those today who find it hard to find work, or who work but are paid unjustly? What about the homeless on the street, those who don’t have access to basic hygiene, fresh clothing, or the means to prepare for job interviews? That really does not seem fair!
Who decides what is fair and what we deserve? The answer is very clear in this parable: God loves us all. He wants the best for each of us and desires to be generous to us, while teaching us to be generous to one another. We thank God for all who are working tirelessly to end poverty and injustice, and to create a world where the dignity of everyone is protected and all are treated fairly.
Do we even spare a thought for the people who seem to have had it easier, but stood in the market square all day? They had the heat of the sun beating down on them, the despair of not getting a job or earning money to feed their families or simply stay alive, and the ignominy of not being chosen.
Might we stop to think why they weren't chosen? Who are those today who find it hard to find work, or who work but are paid unjustly? What about the homeless on the street, those who don’t have access to basic hygiene, fresh clothing, or the means to prepare for job interviews? That really does not seem fair!
Who decides what is fair and what we deserve? The answer is very clear in this parable: God loves us all. He wants the best for each of us and desires to be generous to us, while teaching us to be generous to one another. We thank God for all who are working tirelessly to end poverty and injustice, and to create a world where the dignity of everyone is protected and all are treated fairly.
31-35, F
