A 25 14 (MT 20:1-16a)

A 25 14 (MT 20:1-16a)

     I recently saw an interesting episode of Brain Games on TV.  The episode involved an experiment with two monkeys placed in separate cages next to each other.  Each monkey had a clear view of the other.  As each completed a certain task, the moderator gave a treat to that monkey.  One monkey received a piece of cucumber as a reward, while the other received a juicy, sweet grape. Because neither monkey noticed this difference in rewards, each one accepted the reward offered with gratitude and without complaint.

     Not long after the experiment was underway, however, the cucumber monkey noticed that the other monkey was getting a sweet grape, while all he got was a piece of sour cucumber.  This made the cucumber monkey jealous toward the other monkey.   As a result, he immediately let the moderator know that he too wanted the grape, but the moderator denied his request and did not give him the grape.  This denial agitated the cucumber monkey, who then banged his cage in anger and threw the piece of cucumber back out at the moderator.  He wanted nothing less than a juicy, sweet grape for his effort. 

     As explained by the moderator, this experiment shows that jealousy and anger are primitive emotions.  The parable in today’s gospel shows that this holds true for humans as well.  The parable and experiment both also bring to light how jealousy comes about in the first place.  All jealousy starts with a comparison.  We compare our situation with that of someone else.  When that comparison leads us to conclude that we have been cheated out of what we deserve in comparison to what someone else has, the green-eyed monster rears its ugly head.  We feel jealous toward that other person, and jealousy often leads to anger or worse.

     Notice in the parable that, as long as the first workers were unaware that the last workers would receive the same pay, the first workers were satisfied with their agreement.  Just like the cucumber monkey in the experiment, they accepted the usual daily wage with no complaint.  As soon as they became aware, however, that the last workers would receive the same pay for doing less work, their comparison led them to conclude that they were getting the short end of the stick.  They felt cheated and jealous.  From their perspective, they deserved more because they had done more. 

     Their jealousy pushed them to express anger and indignation toward their employer for what they perceived to be an injustice.  Rather than giving them more pay, however, the employer rebuked them.  He made no apologies for his generosity.  From his perspective, he owed no other explanation, and gave none.

     The parable ends on that rather harsh note, but perhaps one practical takeaway is this.  Comparisons often lead to jealousy, and jealousy does not bring about anything good.  I doubt that we can avoid making comparisons, however.  We learn very early to compare ourselves with others.  The result is not always positive, but it can be useful, if we are cautious.  At the very least, we ought to be careful about how far we let comparisons take us.  The outcome to avoid is feeling jealous as a result of that comparison.  The employer’s rebuke in the parable seems to suggest that this is indeed possible. 

     On a spiritual level, the parable reveals much more.  For one, it reveals a difference between fairness on a human level as compared to fairness on God’s level.  This is the lesson in the first reading from Isaiah:  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.”  We tend to think of fairness in terms of productivity and merit.  We get what we deserve and we deserve what we have earned.  Unfortunately, we tend to think this way even when it comes to the kingdom of God.  We often think we earn our way to the kingdom through our own dint of effort.     
     The parable shows that God, however, judges fairness in terms of faithfulness.  The common factor among all of the workers—from the first to the last—is that each did what was asked.  Each worked for the length of time requested for the pay agreed upon.  They were all faithful servants in that respect.  As a result, not one was cheated.  They all received the pay that they were promised for the work that they did.

     Perhaps the spiritual take away is this.  God does not look for grandiose effort on our part as a condition of our participation in the kingdom.  Rather, he looks for faithfulness to his word.  In other words, we can stop acting like jealous monkeys.  Rather than begrudge the grapes that our neighbors receive, we can celebrate their successes and be grateful for our own gifts.  This is what God asks from each of us.