Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel……
Wednesday 23 August 2017
It is good to read in the holy scripture that the “landowner” does not expect people to work without payment !! Yes, we who set out in God’s name , start work, do not do it without renumeration : "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[a] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. Matthew 19, 29
Who would you like to work for ? -asks God from Saint Francis at the beginning of his conversion- for the Lord, your Creator , or for some servant similar to you born out of a fistful of dust ? Saint Francis does not hesitate , gives his armament, his horse to a poor lad, he himself , giving up everything, dressed in a beggar’s clothes sets out to serve God ! The fruit of his labour is Europe, an immeasurable treasure for the world even today !
God is asking the same question from us : who would you like to work for ? I encourage you to dare and say “yes” to the call of your God ! I am sure , that no matter how much anybody would pay you , that would be incomparably less than what God intends for those who good heartedly , humbly bore the day's burden and the heat working in the harvest , in His holy vineyard . Be pragmatic , adore your lord God and only serve Him !
With love ,
Father Csaba
translated by dr k.e.
Photo . A pretty young girl carrying Christ’s cross during the pilgrimage, leading the procession somewhere in the vicinity of Székelyhíd
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o'clock,
he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.'
So they went off.
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o'clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o'clock,
he found others standing around, and said to them,
'Why do you stand here idle all day?'
They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.'
He said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard.'
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
'Summon the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with the first.'
When those who had started about five o'clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,
but each of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
'These last ones worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us,
who bore the day's burden and the heat.'
He said to one of them in reply,
'My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?'
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Matthew 16, 1-16a
Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel……