As we journey through the season of Septuagesima, the Church presents us with two striking passages that call us to discipline, perseverance, and the mysterious workings of divine grace. St. Paul exhorts the Corinthians to strive for an incorruptible crown (1 Cor. 9:24–27; 10:1–5), while Our Lord, in the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matt. 20:1–16), reminds us of the sovereignty of God in dispensing His rewards. These readings, placed together by Holy Mother Church, summon us to reflect on both the rigor of our spiritual combat and the generosity of God’s grace—themes fitting for this preparatory season before Lent.
Striving for the Incorruptible Crown
St. Paul, drawing from the imagery of the Isthmian Games, exhorts the faithful:
“Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain.” (1 Cor. 9:24)
The Apostle calls us to approach the spiritual life with the same fervor as an athlete preparing for competition. He warns against complacency, noting that self-discipline and mortification are necessary lest, after preaching to others, he himself be rejected (v. 27). This theme of vigilance and discipline is echoed by St. John Chrysostom, who remarks:
“The athlete is never off guard. He practices all the time. He endures much labor. He controls his food and drink. He is not easily overcome by sleep. He is never lazy, never sluggish, never weary, never careless. Such also ought the Christian to be.” (Homilies on First Corinthians, 23.4)
Yet, St. Paul does not speak merely of personal effort. He recalls how Israel, despite being baptized in Moses and nourished by spiritual food and drink (1 Cor. 10:1–4), still fell into sin and perished in the desert. Baptism and the Eucharist are not enough if our lives are not conformed to Christ. St. Augustine warns:
“They were all under the cloud, yet they were not all acceptable to God. They all passed through the sea, yet they did not all reach the kingdom. They all ate the same spiritual food, yet they did not all eat to salvation.” (Sermon 204.2)
The lesson is clear: we must not presume on God’s grace but must cooperate with it through a life of faith and holiness. The season of Septuagesima reminds us that many are called, but not all persevere to the end.
The Laborers in the Vineyard: Divine Justice and Mercy
In the Gospel (Matt. 20:1–16), Christ presents the parable of the laborers, where the master hires workers at different hours of the day, yet pays them all the same wage. Human reasoning protests: “These last have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us!” (v. 12). But the master, representing God, replies:
“Is it not lawful for me to do what I will? Or is thy eye evil, because I am good?” (v. 15)
This parable teaches us two great lessons:
- Salvation is an unmerited gift. No one “earns” Heaven in the strictest sense. Whether called at the first hour (lifelong faithful) or the eleventh hour (deathbed conversions), all who respond receive the same reward—eternal life. St. Gregory the Great comments:“Different are the merits of laborers, yet the same is the recompense of the just. Life eternal is but one, and it is given equally to all, though the good works of some exceed those of others.” (Homilies on the Gospels, 19.1)
- God’s justice is not human justice. We are often tempted to compare our spiritual efforts to others and feel resentment, like the early workers. Yet envy has no place in the Kingdom. St. Augustine warns that our focus should not be on measuring others but on trusting the divine Master:“God crowns His gifts, not your merits.” (Sermon 298.4)
The Septuagesima Call: Work and Grace Together
These readings, placed before us in Feria VI infra Hebdomadam Septuagesimæ, call us to a renewed spiritual seriousness. We must labor diligently, running the race with discipline and perseverance. Yet, at the same time, we must recognize that all is grace—our effort alone does not secure salvation, but the merciful generosity of God.
As we prepare for Lent, let us:
- Train like athletes, disciplining our bodies and souls through prayer, fasting, and penance.
- Avoid presumption, knowing that sacramental participation must be accompanied by holiness of life.
- Rejoice in God’s generosity, refusing to envy those whom God calls later, but instead marveling at His mercy.
Let us strive, as St. Paul urges, for the incorruptible crown, while always remembering that our final reward is a gift from the divine Master, who calls whom He wills, when He wills.
“So run that you may obtain.” (1 Cor. 9:24)
Amen.