Aug 12, 2025 Written by 

All committed. Matthew, Paul, Mary: from last to first

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

You may remember that when I addressed the crowd in St Peter's Square on the day of my election it came naturally to me to introduce myself as a labourer in the vineyard of the Lord. Well, in today's Gospel (cf. Mt 20: 1-16), Jesus recounted the very same parable of the owner of the vineyard who at different hours of the day hires labourers to work in it. And in the evening he gives them all the same wages, one denarius, provoking protests from those who began work early. That denarius clearly represents eternal life, a gift that God reserves for all. Indeed those who are considered the "last", if they accept, become the "first", whereas the "first" can risk becoming the "last". The first message of this parable is inherent in the very fact that the landowner does not tolerate, as it were, unemployment: he wants everyone to be employed in his vineyard. Actually, being called is already the first reward: to be able to work in the Lord's vineyard, to put oneself at his service, to collaborate in his work, is in itself a priceless recompense that repays every effort. Yet only those who love the Lord and his Kingdom understand this: those who instead work only for the pay will never realize the value of this inestimable treasure.

It is St Matthew who recounts this parable, an apostle and an evangelist, whose liturgical feast day we are celebrating on this very day. I like to emphasize that Matthew lived this experience in the first person (cf. Mt 9: 9). Indeed, before Jesus called him he worked as a tax collector and was therefore seen as a public sinner, excluded from "the Lord's vineyard". But everything changed when Jesus passed by his table, looked at him and said to him: "Follow me". Matthew rose and followed him. From a publican he immediately became a disciple of Christ. From being "last" he found himself "first", thanks to God's logic, which - for our good fortune! - is different from the logic of the world. "My thoughts are not your thoughts", the Lord says, speaking through the mouth of Isaiah, "neither are your ways my ways" (Is 55: 8). St Paul, for whom we are celebrating a special Jubilee Year, also experienced the joy of feeling called by the Lord to work in his vineyard. And what a lot of work he accomplished! Yet, as he himself confessed, it was God's grace which worked in him, that grace which from persecutor of the Church transformed him into an Apostle to the Gentiles, to the point of saying: "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" However he immediately added: "If it is to be life in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell" (Phil 1: 21-22). Paul clearly understood that working for the Lord is already a reward on this earth.

The Virgin Mary, whom I had the joy of venerating in Lourdes a week ago, is the perfect branch of the Lord's vine. In her germinated the blessed fruit of divine love: Jesus, our Saviour. May she help us to respond constantly and joyously to the Lord's call and to find our happiness in toiling for the Kingdom of Heaven.

[Pope Benedict, Angelus 21 September 2008]

65 Last modified on Tuesday, 12 August 2025 05:01
don Giuseppe Nespeca

Giuseppe Nespeca è architetto e sacerdote. Cultore della Sacra scrittura è autore della raccolta "Due Fuochi due Vie - Religione e Fede, Vangeli e Tao"; coautore del libro "Dialogo e Solstizio".

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The basis of Christian construction is listening to and the fulfilment of the word of Christ (Pope John Paul II)
Alla base della costruzione cristiana c’è l’ascolto e il compimento della parola di Cristo (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
«Rebuke the wise and he will love you for it. Be open with the wise, he grows wiser still; teach the upright, he will gain yet more» (Prov 9:8ff)
«Rimprovera il saggio ed egli ti sarà grato. Dà consigli al saggio e diventerà ancora più saggio; istruisci il giusto ed egli aumenterà il sapere» (Pr 9,8s)
These divisions are seen in the relationships between individuals and groups, and also at the level of larger groups: nations against nations and blocs of opposing countries in a headlong quest for domination [Reconciliatio et Paenitentia n.2]
Queste divisioni si manifestano nei rapporti fra le persone e fra i gruppi, ma anche a livello delle più vaste collettività: nazioni contro nazioni, e blocchi di paesi contrapposti, in un'affannosa ricerca di egemonia [Reconciliatio et Paenitentia n.2]
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È strano che Gesù esalti coloro che il mondo considera in generale dei deboli. Dice loro: “Beati voi che sembrate perdenti, perché siete i veri vincitori: vostro è il Regno dei Cieli!”. Dette da lui che è “mite e umile di cuore”, queste parole  lanciano una sfida (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
The first constitutive element of the group of Twelve is therefore an absolute attachment to Christ: they are people called to "be with him", that is, to follow him leaving everything. The second element is the missionary one, expressed on the model of the very mission of Jesus (Pope John Paul II)
Il primo elemento costitutivo del gruppo dei Dodici è dunque un attaccamento assoluto a Cristo: si tratta di persone chiamate a “essere con lui”, cioè a seguirlo lasciando tutto. Il secondo elemento è quello missionario, espresso sul modello della missione stessa di Gesù (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
Isn’t the family just what the world needs? Doesn’t it need the love of father and mother, the love between parents and children, between husband and wife? Don’t we need love for life, the joy of life? (Pope Benedict)
Non ha forse il mondo bisogno proprio della famiglia? Non ha forse bisogno dell’amore paterno e materno, dell’amore tra genitori e figli, tra uomo e donna? Non abbiamo noi bisogno dell’amore della vita, bisogno della gioia di vivere? (Papa Benedetto)
Thus in communion with Christ, in a faith that creates charity, the entire Law is fulfilled. We become just by entering into communion with Christ who is Love (Pope Benedict)
Così nella comunione con Cristo, nella fede che crea la carità, tutta la Legge è realizzata. Diventiamo giusti entrando in comunione con Cristo che è l'amore (Papa Benedetto)
From a human point of view, he thinks that there should be distance between the sinner and the Holy One. In truth, his very condition as a sinner requires that the Lord not distance Himself from him, in the same way that a doctor cannot distance himself from those who are sick (Pope Francis))
Da un punto di vista umano, pensa che ci debba essere distanza tra il peccatore e il Santo. In verità, proprio la sua condizione di peccatore richiede che il Signore non si allontani da lui, allo stesso modo in cui un medico non può allontanarsi da chi è malato (Papa Francesco)

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