Sana All
Listening to the Spirit
Lord, thank you for the gift of Your Word
so that all your people may know and love You more
and understand You better.
As I go about my day may I not forget
the scriptures you have opened up for me.
Help me to recognize how You want for me
to apply Your Word to my daily life.
Holy Spirit, guided by Your Word,
may You enlighten my mind
and enkindle in my heart
a greater love for You and for others
in my family and in the world.
Amen.
Listening to the Word
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, the landowner 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, the landowner 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.”
Reflection
In the Philippines, there is a saying that fits well with the parable of the workers in the vineyard: "Sana all." This means "I hope everyone has that" or "I wish everyone had that." It's a playful way of recognizing something good that someone else has, even if it makes us jealous. We use this saying to explore the parable and learn from it.
In the parable (Matthew 20:1-16), we learn about how generous God is and how we sometimes struggle with feeling jealous. Envy, feeling jealous of what others have, is considered a capital sin in the Catholic Church.
Imagine God as the landowner in the story. He looks for workers all day long, and no matter when they start working, He pays them the same. This shows us how God's kindness is for everyone, no matter what they've done or how long they've known Him.
But like some workers in the story who worked all day, we can also get jealous when we see others getting good things. Envy makes us feel not so happy about their good fortune. The Church teaches us that envy contradicts the virtue of love. It can make us forget to love and care for others (CCC 2540).
Envy is like being sad that others have good things and wanting them for ourselves. This feeling can make us do really bad things like hatred, detraction, calumny, and taking joy in a neighbor's misfortune. It can stop us from being happy for them when good things happen.
So, we should try not to be envious. Instead, let's be thankful for all the good things God gives us. When we hear "Sana all," let it remind us to be happy for others and remember that God's kindness is for everyone, including us. Let's celebrate the good things that happen to others and believe that God has blessings for all of us.
Reflection Questions
Gospel Reflections
Allowing Jesus to Change Us
Who Is Jesus for Me? From Encounter to Mission
