A Reflection for Monday in the Week of Septuagesima
As we enter the season of Septuagesima, Holy Mother Church calls us to meditate upon the themes of labor, perseverance, and divine justice. The readings for today—1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 10:1-5 and Matthew 20:1-16—invite us to consider the spiritual race we are running and to trust in the justice of God, who rewards according to His will, not according to human calculations.
The Christian Life: A Race That Requires Discipline
In his First Epistle to the Corinthians, St. Paul employs the imagery of a race:
“Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that you may obtain. And every one that striveth for the mastery refraineth himself from all things: and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible one.” (1 Cor. 9:24-25)
This passage reminds us that the Christian life is not passive but requires active striving. St. John Chrysostom comments on this, saying:
“Paul speaks of the race to show that virtue is achieved with much toil, not by mere desire. For even those who run all have the wish to be crowned, but the victory is reserved only for those who exert themselves with all diligence.” (Homilies on First Corinthians, 23.2)
The Apostle warns against complacency. Even he, though chosen by Christ, says, “I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway.” (1 Cor. 9:27). St. Augustine, reflecting on this, teaches:
“No one should trust in the mere fact of having received grace, for he may still fall away. The Apostle himself feared lest after so many labors he should be found unworthy, not because of any injustice in God, but because of the dangers of human frailty.” (Exposition on the Psalms, Ps. 70).
This is a crucial lesson: baptism and participation in the Church are not enough; we must persevere in grace, guarding ourselves from presumption. The example of the Israelites in the desert, as Paul recounts (1 Cor. 10:1-5), is sobering. Though they all passed through the Red Sea and received heavenly sustenance, “with most of them God was not well pleased.” Here, St. Gregory the Great warns:
“Many begin well, but few persevere to the end. The Israelites had the sacraments of the Old Law, yet they perished in their sins. How much more, then, must we, who have received the fullness of grace, fear lest we too should fall into spiritual destruction through negligence and disobedience?” (Moralium, 24.11).
God’s Justice in Calling Laborers to the Vineyard
The Gospel for today (Matt. 20:1-16) presents the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. The householder hires workers at different hours, yet at the end of the day, all receive the same wage. Those who labored since morning murmur, questioning the fairness of the master. But he responds:
“Is it not lawful for me to do what I will? Or is thy eye evil, because I am good?” (Matt. 20:15).
This parable illustrates the sovereignty of God’s grace. Some, like St. Paul, are called early; others, like the Good Thief, come at the last hour. But all who answer God’s call receive the reward of eternal life. St. Jerome reflects:
“This denarius represents eternal life, which is given equally to all who labor in the vineyard of the Lord. Though the labor may vary, the mercy of God is one and the same.” (Commentary on Matthew, 20:10).
St. Augustine further expounds:
“Do not envy those who come to the faith later than you. The grace of God is not measured by time but by the generosity of the Giver. If He chooses to give the same reward to the latecomers, it does not diminish what was promised to you.” (Sermon 87 on the New Testament).
This challenges our human sense of fairness. We are tempted to think in terms of strict merit, but God’s justice transcends human reckoning. He gives not according to the amount of work but according to His infinite mercy.
Application: A Call to Perseverance and Trust
As we begin the pre-Lenten season, these readings exhort us to two essential dispositions:
- Spiritual Discipline – Like an athlete, we must train ourselves in prayer, mortification, and virtue, lest we fall away. Let us examine where we have grown lax and renew our efforts in fasting and penance.
- Trust in Divine Providence – We must not compare ourselves to others but trust in God’s perfect justice and mercy. Whether we have served Him from youth or have only recently repented, our focus must be on faithfulness, not on human comparisons.
Let us then run with endurance, trusting in the goodness of the Divine Master, who rewards not according to human calculations but according to His boundless love.
Prayer
O Lord, strengthen us for the race that is set before us. Help us to discipline our bodies and spirits, that we may not be found wanting in the day of trial. And grant us the humility to rejoice in Your generosity, knowing that all we have is from Your mercy. Amen.