25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A - 24/9/2017 - Gospel: Mt 20:1-16a
Fairness and Justness
When it comes to employment we have diversity of opinions. Everyone agrees that we all need to work to earn a living but there are factors defining the concept of employment for many. It is the kind of work, the conditions of the work place and the behaviour of superiors and their colleagues that make enormous differences to the understanding of employment. Some people love their job while others don't appreciate it. Some people find inspiration in doing their work with joy while others struggle hard to go to work and look forward to the payday. Some are happy to their employment and have plans for the future with the hopes of improvement on the work force while others just keep repeating a tasteless routine. Some are happy with their rewards while others demand for more pay to meet the rising cost of a living. Some people find friends at the workforce and form the friendships for weekend enjoyment others can't stand their colleagues.
Whether we like to labour or not, we all need to have a noble and proper way to earn a living. It is the main source of regular and necessary income to have a roof over our head, food on our table and feed the bills. The pain of unemployed is much greater than hardship of working conditions, especially when you live in a society where there is no unemployment benefits or food stamps or social network to support. It is very hard to go to bed with an empty stomach. It constantly reminds a person to feed it and yet there is nothing else, except water. Hunger went to sleep and dreamt about food and woke up in agony. Employment is considered a great opportunity for us to develop our talents to its potential. Through work we learn and develop and know more about our own talents and gifts. Through work we find out hidden talents and inventions and that is useful for the human race. Work gives us a sense of being useful and experience personal worth. The human values depend not on what kind of work we do but it is through work we feel worthwhile and useful. After a hard working week we enjoy weekends more and feel the value of relaxation.
In doing business most people would see profit is their first priority and that is their final goal. Workers don't realize that it is rare to have an employer who is extraordinary generous to place the benefit of the employees before his/her own profit. It is the heavenly gift to work for such employers because they are not just value highly the work of the employees but also look after and respect them as humans who were created after the image and likeness of the loving God. Workers who fail to see the generosity of the employer only want to satisfy their own desires and fail to see the necessity needs of others. Employers who sacrifice their financial gain would gain something much more valuable. They gain respect and fondest love from the workers. Envy is born out of ignorant about one own talents.
Whether we like to labour or not, we all need to have a noble and proper way to earn a living. It is the main source of regular and necessary income to have a roof over our head, food on our table and feed the bills. The pain of unemployed is much greater than hardship of working conditions, especially when you live in a society where there is no unemployment benefits or food stamps or social network to support. It is very hard to go to bed with an empty stomach. It constantly reminds a person to feed it and yet there is nothing else, except water. Hunger went to sleep and dreamt about food and woke up in agony. Employment is considered a great opportunity for us to develop our talents to its potential. Through work we learn and develop and know more about our own talents and gifts. Through work we find out hidden talents and inventions and that is useful for the human race. Work gives us a sense of being useful and experience personal worth. The human values depend not on what kind of work we do but it is through work we feel worthwhile and useful. After a hard working week we enjoy weekends more and feel the value of relaxation.
In doing business most people would see profit is their first priority and that is their final goal. Workers don't realize that it is rare to have an employer who is extraordinary generous to place the benefit of the employees before his/her own profit. It is the heavenly gift to work for such employers because they are not just value highly the work of the employees but also look after and respect them as humans who were created after the image and likeness of the loving God. Workers who fail to see the generosity of the employer only want to satisfy their own desires and fail to see the necessity needs of others. Employers who sacrifice their financial gain would gain something much more valuable. They gain respect and fondest love from the workers. Envy is born out of ignorant about one own talents.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia