The word Septuagesima is Latin for “seventieth.” We really don’t know why 70 days, but we know that it is 63 days before the celebration of Easter. However, it signifies that today is the 3rd Sunday before the start of Lent which falls on Ash Wednesday, February 22, 2023. This is traditionally marked as the beginning of preparations for Lent. This coming Sunday will be the 2nd Sunday before Lent, which we call Sexagesima (60th) Feb. 12th, and the last Sunday, Quinquagesima (50th) Feb 19th, which is 49 days before Easter, or 50 if you include Easter. We use the traditional Roman Catholic Liturgical Calendar in the traditional Latin Mass. After these three consecutive Sundays, we begin the First Sunday of Lent.
Our spirituality is not about being confined in our belief that legitimate mass is Latin, or that the celebration of the sacraments must be in Latin, or that the priest celebrating the mass is not a genuine priest. Let us deeply reflect what God speaks to us today.
The scriptures speak to us from the epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, “Brethren, know you not that they run in the race, all run indeed, but one received the prize? So run that you may obtain. Everyone who strives the mastery refrains himself from all things, that they may receive a corruptible crown.” We must receive the crown which is an incorruptible one. The gospel exhorts us not to be self-righteous with the last or to consider ourselves to be best; hence, we would be the first, or where it seems, we are always trying to make sure that someone didn’t get more than we did. We are obsessed with first and being ahead of others. I think we should strive to do good and to be loving. This is to challenge ourselves to live-out the gospel. Too often, however, we look at others and compare ourselves with a slightly whiny tiny voice, saying wow, she or he got more than me, and thinking, that’s not fair at some perceived slight if a co-worker appeared to get a better deal than me.
As I have mentioned, today is the pre-lent Sunday. Instead of looking outward at what others have, we need to look inward. We need to focus on our spirituality where we need to pay attention to how we are living our life, whether we are reflecting God’s love and charity, or whether we are encountering God through our community. Being envious of others is a waste of time and energy. As an alternative, we need to turn that destructive energy around and think what we are doing positively to others and what we can do to change for the better. If we want to start this preparation for Lent to be meaningful, we need to stop being condescending, take a deep breath and be thankful to God for all His blessings. Remember that God’s love is with us wherever we are; whether we are last or we are first, we believe that God is generous and forgiving.
The gospel today makes us aware that God’s way is in conflict with our human standard. The notion of “fairness” is simply the center and the focal idea conveyed in the story of the landowner and the vineyard laborers. With our limited mind to understand God’s logic, we always question that the story seems unfair for the same wage to be paid to workers who worked only an hour compared to those that worked all day. A significant message of this parable is that we are all equal recipients of God’s gifts.
We always succumb to this reality that we often manifest a weakness in our personal faith journey and that we are often jealous when God’s gifts of forgiveness and life are given to others in equal measure.
Jesus’ parable focuses on the goodness and generosity of God. God is the ultimate “landowner,” God eternally exercises His power as Creator for our own good even if we fail to understand His own depth, His own Divine wisdom, and why, because we are continuously absorbed by the earthly criteria and even attitudes.
If God gives grace to others or relief from pain and challenge, it is kindness to them, so give praise to God for them rather than feeling injustice or being envious. I believe that what we receive as blessings and gifts always reminds us that we must continue to live as faithful stewards to serve His kingdom.
Let us live in “fairness and impartiality.”
God bless you.
Fr. Arlon, osa
