Reflection - Mt 20:1-16 - Beyond Competition-Finding Community

St. Veronica Retreat Reflection (10/19/17)

Mt 20:1-16a

Beyond Competition-Finding Community

We have many competing forces around us.  Competition is everywhere.  The subtle message we hear in our culture is - how do I win and get what I want?  I deserve it!

It’s the pursuit of happiness - right?  - To be the top of the class - get the better Job - the bigger house -the nicer car.  

Although there are blessings that can come out of competition - (challenging us to do our best - to work hard to reach our goals in life) - this way of thinking often leads to division.  It pits me against you. and Me trying to climb over you.  We see others as obstacles to getting what I want or what I think is owed to me.  

Competition can cause us to be constantly comparing - a way of thinking that rules the day - at work, at school, with family, and friends.  Fr. Del - preaching on this gospel a few weeks ago - telling us that this constant comparing - “short circuits Grace.”   Could this be getting in the way of us hearing God speaking to us?.  And even if we do hear it - we might then turn and say - “but wait a second - but that person got something that I didn’t - and that’s not fair.”  

We can certainly understand why these workers in the parable were grumbling - any one of us would have done the same!  “I worked harder - so I deserve more!” “I earned it!”  “You cheated me!”

We have a material mindset - and for understandable reasons - that’s what’s in front of us each day - it’s the way the world works-right?.It’s why we sometimes work ourselves to exhaustion, never have enough in our bank accounts, credit card debt, and insurance to protect all our stuff.  We are in constant struggle for the material things in life.  We use a lot of physical, emotional, and mental energy to obtain, keep, and maintain these THINGS.  

There are so many forces around us that are supporting our selfishness consumption- to get what we think we need - what we are entitled to!  It’s my right!  O-r so our culture says.  And it is - but at what cost?  The force of media and advertising is constantly telling us what we don’t have or what we have --should be upgraded.  What I have is never enough!  That I’m not complete without these things.  How could this not have a huge impact on the ways we feel about ourselves, our relationships, and our overall happiness!

This parable is telling us some good news - actually, some GREAT NEWS.  God is constantly seeking us out - offering us an invitation - freely given - never earned - to be with Him.  In the parable - Jesus is telling us that God doesn’t judge and compare us the way that we often do in the world.  God doesn’t see us - the way we often see ourselves - and each other.  

So what do we do? - In this world of constant comparison and competition?  How to we move closer to each other and to the love that God offers us?  How do we stop ranking ourselves and others?  How do we stop trying to always “one up” others - and grumbling when we feel we are “one down.”

One way - is Community!  We must be together in healthy relationship - sharing, caring for, and loving each other.  

We may be more isolated in our current age than in any other time in history. Especially in today's society. I find it very interesting that in past generations - American Catholic Parishes were the center of social life and social support. We have great examples of this in Cincinnati.  Germans, Irish, Italian, ---In these ghettos- people bonded together due to poverty and repression- seeking to maintain their values- uniting together to build a centerpiece for their community - Their church.  None could afford much individually - but together could build something magnificent- to honor their culture- and their faith.

Often, we are physically WITH people - social,  but not having meaningful discussions and interactions.  We SEE, in  “social media”- what great and perfect things people have and are doing - (and I find it almost impossible not to compare). I heard someone say once - That when we compare ourselves with others - We lose.  Social media has put a magnifying glass on this issue.  

Working in the field of Community Mental Health, I see the lack of connection every day.  People come into my office for a lot of different serious reasons - Trauma, Depression Anxiety, schizophrenia. If I was to pull out a common thread that runs through many of my clients lives and is an undercurrent of their emotional challenges - it’s isolation.  

We are starving for deeper connections - greater intimacy - and the sharing of our lives. Opportunities to love, give and receive acceptance,  compassion, and mercy.  I wonder in some ways if we need to retrain and re-orient ourselves toward developing these deeper connections.   

We have many opportunities to connect in meaningful ways here at St. Veronica - we have a community that is thriving in so many ways.  I joined - a Small Church Community, because I realized that my faith could only lead me so far without sharing and living it with others.  That I can only know God so well - on my own.  By gathering together on a frequent basis we gradually grow together and deepen our bonds - building trust and understanding that we are walking this journey together.

When we can walk into Mass - or a retreat like this evening - and see  friendly faces that we have had deeply meaningful experiences - that’s where it’s at!  When we break bread together -  That’s when we begin to understand - “where 2 or 3 are gathered.”  We open ourselves to the Holy Spirit flourishing in our lives.  We grow and experience the love of God in new and unexpected ways.

In community - through this connection - this Grace- this energy of God - The Holy SPIRIT then - short circuits the constant comparison and competition that often gets in the way of deeper connections --with each other and with God.  Maybe, a good barometer of where we are in our faith journey - is the health of our relationships.  Can we really get deeper with God - without getting deeper with the people in our lives?

We are invited to the banquet hall - the gathering - where God “is free to do as He wishes with his own Money”  or we could say -”free to give His Grace where he wishes.”  This is great news - we are all invited! How do we give thanks that no matter when in the day we were hired to work in God’s vineyard - the gift of his Grace if freely given in equal portion - to us all.

Question:  Where in my life is there a lot of comparing and competition that is getting in the way of building a deeper and more loving relationship with myself, each other, and with God?  Roles to consider might be - As a parent, sibling, friend, neighbor, or a co-worker.