“GRACE FREELY GIVEN”
Saint Matthew 20.1-16
Septuagesima: 23 January Anno Domini 2005
Fr Watson
Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart.
"The first shall be last." Those climbing the ladder, stepping on the hands of their neighbors, the ones they are commanded to "love as themselves," will find their ladder leads to unquenchable fire. Those who are indignant with people converting to the faith on their death beds or late in lives filled with heinous sins, will find that there are special rooms in hell for the bitterly indignant. The envious, the small-hearted, the greedy, the "my will be satisfied" "workers" will have their own wages---themselves; but they won't have God; they won't have heaven. They will be given the damnation that they have "earned" by their own filthy rags of "works-righteousness" and they will go away; go away to the infernal abode where the gnashing of teeth will drown out their petulant cries of "...these last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day..." These "first" ones, these "high and mighty" ones will have an eternity to bear the burden and the scorching heat of Hades.
"Thus the last shall be first." Rejoice oh Saints of Augsburg, along with all the Saints of all times in the Church Catholic, that you are last, and that you have such a loving "landowner."
Your Savior Jesus is the Landowner, for He made all the land, all the animals, and all of you. Your creator didn't need you to help tend the garden of this planet anymore than he "needed" Adam to tend paradise. But He is generous and giving, and wants all to be with Him. All the "work" in the field indeed ends up with everyone at table for meat and drink; fellowship; communion with the great and good landowner Jesus.
He does all the hiring. No one cooperates in obtaining this eternal "employment." The landowner comes to the idle and puts them into His field. Some are brought in early, some brought in at the third, sixth and ninth hours. Being hired early is not the sin, grumbling over the grace shown to others who come in late, is the trespass. The hours of "hiring" correspond to our Savior's hours of Passion. For in reality it is always Jesus doing all the work. In the beginning was the Word---but then He "hired" Adam. His work at the third hour was His passive obedience at Calvary, His being nailed to the Cross. His work at the sixth hour (high noon) was to be in the midst of His suffering, of bearing all of Hell's torments for sin. His work at the ninth hour (3 pm) was His death for you, as darkness covered the earth. At the eleventh hour He was entombed to ransom you from the power of the grave. The eleventh hour is almost the end, but not quite. There was a three-day death wake before the Resurrection. The end only comes for the heathen at their own deaths. Until the time of their earthly demise there is still opportunity for Grace. The Lord Landowner comes to you and others, long after the first groups have been "hired." Are you in reality the eleventh hour hirees? That is relative. But praise be, there have been many other Brothers and Sisters adopted into the Lord's fields even since you were "hired" in your holy Baptisms.
Jesus' parable shows you what Grace is. There is no "deciding" to be hired by the last group; there is no cooperation or choosing to be hired; it is all Grace, all the action of the Landowner: "You too go into the vineyard."
Your work wasn't needed. You are needed. You are wanted. "I am generous" says the Lord. Indeed.
"Thus the last shall be first." The last are the babies being baptized. The last are the repentant prostitutes, adulterers, thieves, and murderers. The last are the mentally retarded; the lame, deaf, blind, demon-possessed, and leprous. The last are all of you sinfully little ones. "I am generous." Jesus became last, last unto suffering and death for you. He became last by taking your sin upon Himself, so that He might make you what you now are: First, heirs, children, royal priests and honored guests. The toiling in the vineyard has been accomplished by Christ, come now to the fruits of His work. He is generous.
Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart.
In the Name of The Father and of The Son + and of The Holy Ghost