Septuagesima Sunday

 
Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So, the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
   
We have just completed our journey from Advent through to Epiphany tide, in which we contemplated Christ’s coming to us and manifesting Himself as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John i. 14) Now we turn to the period spanning between Septuagesima Sunday and Ascension Day. Septuagesima Sunday is the beginning of our short Gesima season; Gesima means days. Septu means seventy. So today is the 70th day before Easter. On these three Sundays, we prepare for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter Sunday. It is a season for self-discipline as we actualize the Four Cardinal Virtues of temperance, prudence, justice, and fortitude.  

The Four Cardinal Virtues come to us from the Latin word cardo, which means hinge. These virtues are the hinge virtues, which lay a foundation for the three Theological Virtues of faith, hope, and charity. Just as the Gesima Sundays form a hinge that opens the door to Lent, the Cardinal Virtues comprise the hinge that opens the door to deeper union with God. The Cardinal Virtues are derived from Plato’s Dialogues. The early Church Fathers named them as Cardinal Virtues and acknowledged their indebtedness to Plato, whose philosophy prepares us for the coming of Christ.
The goodness that they encourage establishes a moral foundation in our lives. 

Today, in his First Epistle to the Corinthians, Chapter IX, St. Paul introduces us to the first Cardinal Virtue for our consideration, that of temperance or moderation. He tells us that our pursuit of the Good or God is like the physical fitness that prepares ancient Greek runners for competition in the Isthmian Games. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? (1 Cor. 9. 24) Using an example drawn from Greek culture, St. Paul inspires us to run so that we might win a prize. His illustration shows that Greek athletes concentrate on their end or the laurel wreath, the crown of victory. The means to it is running to win. St. Paul knows that all men run to obtain some reward. And no man can run without hope. So, with hope we must run to obtain whatever crown we seek. So run, that ye may obtain. (Ibid, 24) Running to win must be conditioned by discipline. Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. (Ibid, 25) Temperance or moderation must condition our running in hope towards our end.

But our end is not the corruptible crown of the laurel wreath of the ancient Greek games. Our end is incorruptible and lasting. For the Greeks, the Cardinal virtues led only to corruptible and impermanent goods. For Christians, moderation and temperance are to be used because we hope for a greater reward. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. (Ibid, 26)

Like the ancient Greek runners, our temperance and moderation must be applied to our souls as well as our bodies. The runners in the Isthmian Games kept to a strict diet and discipline. They refrained from food, drink, and sex to stay focused. How much more, then, should we Christians keep to a strict diet and discipline as we condition our bodies to serve our souls with hope of obtaining the incorruptible crown? Thus, the Apostle warns us against immoderate indulgence of our passions and appetites that is always enmity with God and likely to distract us from running the spiritual race. Just as too much food, drink, and sex would threaten physical fitness for ancient athletes, the same threatens the spiritual race that we run.

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away. (Ibid, 26, 27) 
 

Paul’s spiritual race is not pointless or without meaning. He doesn’t merely beat the air. He runs a spiritual race as an example to those of us who will follow him. His moderation should inspire us. He brings his body into subjection to his soul; he moderates its passions and orders them to a higher end. He does this to give his fellow Christians an example of how we should run and work if we hope to reach the Kingdom.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus invites us to run or to labour, but he uses the illustration of workers in a Vineyard. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.(St. Matthew xx. 1) The offer to work in the Vineyard is like the image of running in a spiritual race. God offers it to all men at all times of life, whether we come in the morning when young, noontide when middle aged, or in the evening of life when old. Those who come first to work in the morning of their lives come early to run the race. They are promised one penny, or one reward. Others are roused or stirred later in the day. No matter when they agree to run or work, God promises one spiritual reward or what is right. Those who wait until the end of their lives are even rebuked for sloth, having spent most of their lives devoted to their flesh. Why stand ye here all the day idle? (Ibid, 6) Nevertheless, God’s desire for man’s running or working in His vineyard never changes. It is never too late to accept God’s invitation, provided we are in possession of our reason and senses.

In the Parable, at the end of the day, all are paid. The last to come are paid first, and the first to come are paid last. The newfound moderation or temperance that conditions the running and working of the Johnny-come-latelies is of equal value and worth to the first in the heart of the householder. Every man receives a penny. All are called to work for one reward. 
        
But what do we read next?

But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. (Ibid, 10-12)


Unlike the race run by Greek athletes, here everyone who runs or works receives the same reward. By running or working, everyone wins no matter when they started and how hard they have worked. The reward is based on accepting the offer to run, which is a gift with a promise. No one is disqualified because they are not spiritually unathletic. Everyone can be spiritually athletic; everyone can run in this race. This is an unusual kind of race that welcomes all men to run. The runners are called to focus on the generosity of God, who would reward all men who start the race and have their eye on finishing for one reward. Each runner must work out his salvation with fear and trembling. (Phil. ii. 12) Because each runner is running to finish, he will not begrudge others of their reward or resent them because they started later in the day.
                           
Listen to how the owner of the vineyard responds to those who murmur against him and think that their reward should be greater.
Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?  So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. (Ibid, 13-16)
        
The runners and workers in the parable are called to remember that God does us no wrong. We must remember that God has promised us one penny and that God gives to us what he gives to those who came last. We must be so thankful for the ability to run and work. Because we didn’t deserve it, we must count ourselves last and least. The gift of being asked to run and finish for one reward must always be accepted as greater than anything we have desired or deserved. The soul must never be greedy for more than what God offers. The soul must finish in a good spirit. No matter how long we have been running and working, we should be overjoyed when others join us to finish and receive what is God’s own to give. The work itself must be so cherished and treasured that we then wait on God to reward us with what belongs to Him and is His only to reward! That the last should receive their reward first will surprise them with joy, a joy we share because the gift of God’s Grace wants many for salvation if we are generous.
    
Dear friends, let us be willing today to accept God’s gracious invitation to run and work in the vineyard, or God’s church. Let us gratefully acknowledge that the one penny, or one reward, is God’s own to give. By reason of our sin, we don’t deserve it at all. But God’s Grace in Jesus Christ is greater than our sin. As we run and work, let us pray that many more will join us in the Church as we journey for salvation. For, if we begrudge late-comers their share in the reward, we might have been called, but won’t be chosen.
Amen.
©wjsmartin