The parable describes a vineyard owner going out several times during a day to get workers for his vineyard. He makes an agreement with each one of them for a wage of one denarius. This was the normal daily wage for a worker in Jesus’ time. The vineyard owner went out at 6 o’clock in the morning and again at 9, at noon and again at 3 and 5 o’clock in the afternoon. It was normal for workers to gather at a crossroads or a market place waiting to be hired. Each time the vineyard owner assures the workers he will give them a ‘just wage’:

At the end of the day, the steward or bailiff is instructed to pay out the wages. Echoing the words of Jesus in the previous passage, he is told to start paying the workers: …beginning with the last and then going to the first.

Those who had come in at the last hour were paid their one denarius, as promised. However, when those who had been working since 6 o’clock in the morning were paid, they were not at all happy to receive only one denarius. They complained:  "These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat".

Are we ever jealous or resentful when someone else receives a gift, acclaim, or praise for an act that we think they neither deserved nor earned?  Jealousy and resentment may not affect the other person; however, it does affect us!  It can eat away at us and make us miserable. When we compare ourselves to others, we typically may judge ourselves as above them or below them.  Both judgments damage the other person as well as ourselves.

God is the one who will judge in fairness and truth.  We do not have the right to judge others and yet we do it all the time!  Most of us have been gifted with abundant blessings.  Today may we give thanks for the gifts and graces that we have received and let us thank God for the many gifts we have been given!  May we let go of judgment, envy, and jealousy.  If we choose to do this, we will be happier and more peaceful.