Who Deserves More
Mercy · main message
Gratitude · carrying
Responsibility · carrying
God's reward in the Kingdom of God is not measured by the standard of human merit, but by his goodness and generosity, so that every person, regardless of the duration or magnitude of their activity, can share in eternal life.
For God, what counts is more than the years dedicated to his Kingdom; it is the generous acceptance of his call to devote oneself to the service of the Kingdom of God. In fact, God rewards us according to the measure of his goodness and generosity, which are far greater than the narrow measure of our merits.
The text takes up the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Mt 20:1-16) and poses the question of who deserves more before God. It contrasts the human logic of performance and merit with the divine logic of grace and generosity. God's reward is presented as greater than human merits, with effort not being despised but being surpassed. The text extends the parable to all vocations and life situations, from priests to the sick, and emphasizes that everyone can serve the Kingdom of God in the place of their life. It calls on the faithful to do good and to practice charity, and warns against the judgment of the Judge over the life left unused. The central promise is participation in the glory of God and eternal life as the greatest reward.
Worldview
what this means- What, according to this text, is the root of the evil?
- Ignorance, illusion, a false view of reality
- Where does the evil reside?
- in the heart, the will, or the soul of the individual
- What helps against it?
- God's grace, redemption that is not deserved; practical action towards the neighbour, good works
- What is human being according to this text?
- described above all as one who is accepted and given to
- Where is history heading?
- a turning point, a coming, a new order is about to arrive
- What does the text base its claim on?
- on the holy scripture of its own tradition; on the founder or prophet of the tradition
- To whom does the text's call for devotion apply?
- to every human being, regardless of faith
- Where is the text's criticism directed?
- at one's own community and at oneself
Related texts from other traditions
by similarity of the analysis, one text per traditionMotettenansprache
Die Predigt deutet das Hohelied als Trost für menschliche Sehnsucht und ermutigt zum Loslassen und Vertrauen in Gottes Führung.
Vorboten des Reiches – Warum wir nicht über andere urteilen dürfen
Die Predigt nutzt die Aussendung der 70 Jünger, um zu lehren, dass Christen dem Glauben anderer nicht nachjagen, sondern demütig auf Gottes Wirken vertrauen sollen.
Die Bibel ist kein brauchbares Zeugnis für die Existenz Gottes
Der Text bestreitet die Evidenz der Bibel für die Existenz Gottes und erklärt religiöse Überzeugungen als menschliche Projektionen und kognitive Verzerrungen.
Weihnachtsbotschaft des Ökumenischen Patriarchen
Der Text ruft dazu auf, den Glauben an Christus als Quelle von Friede und Freude in der Weihnachtsfeier sichtbar werden zu lassen.
„Botschaften der Sure Tekwir“
Eine DITIB-Freitagspredigt zur Sure Tekwir, die den Jüngsten Tag beschreibt und zur Selbstprüfung und Vorbereitung auf die Rechenschaft aufruft.
What the text calls for
- das Gute tun (interpersonal)
- Nächstenliebe üben (interpersonal)
- Werke der Barmherzigkeit üben (interpersonal)
Passages cited
Mt 20,1-16 · Mt 25,26
Measured
- Basic stance
- 1 from -2 to 2
- Insistence
- 2 of 3
- Reach
- 3 of 5
- Concreteness
- 2 of 3
- Boundary
- 0 of 3
- Time
- past 1, present 2, future 3
Full text in English
Today’s Gospel poses an important question: who deserves more before God? In the parable of the workers hired at different times of the day who, at the end of the day, all received the same wage, there was a complaint from those who had worked more hours. They thought they deserved more than those who had worked only a few hours (cf. Mt 20:1-16).
In our human logic, it is indeed so: worked more hours, deserves more. Worked fewer hours, deserves less… But Jesus implies that in the kingdom of God it is not quite so. For God, more than the years dedicated to his Kingdom, what counts is the generous acceptance of his call to devote oneself to the service of the Kingdom of God. Indeed, God pays us according to the measure of his benevolence and generosity, which are far greater than the narrow measure of our merits.
This does not mean that God despises our efforts and merits, but that God’s reward is far greater than our merits. And in heaven, no one will have reasons to complain if they find there someone who lived less and had less time of dedication to the Kingdom of God in this world… The goods that God promises us are unpayable by human standards, and we will all only have to give thanks for the mercy and the fidelity of God to his promises.
This applies to the many calls of God for us to participate in the work of his Kingdom in this world. Not all perform grand works, nor are they called to be in special missions; but all can be “workers of the Lord’s vineyard” in the place where they find themselves, doing good and practicing charity and the works of mercy. Before God, there is value in the mission of the priest, of the catechist, of the missionary, of the teacher, of the artist, of the parents who care for their children and educate them, of the public administrator, of the driver, of the student, of the sick person, of the doctor, and so on. In all these ways of living and acting, we can serve God and our neighbor and contribute to the work of the Kingdom of God.
To live is a grace, and to lead a life useful for us and for others is a blessing. Each day that God gives us to live is one more occasion to practice good and to love people. There are so many ways to do so and to be useful to others. Hearing that someone passed through life doing good is a great praise. On the contrary, it would be terrible to have to hear from the great Judge this rebuke, upon appearing before him to render an account of life: “You wicked and lazy servant!” (cf. Mt 25:26).
Let us have no doubts: The reward will come, it will certainly come. God is generous and rewards even a cup of water given to someone out of charity. But the greater reward that God promises is participation in his glory and in eternal life, where God himself will be the prize for the good workers of his vineyard. Redemption and happy eternal life have no price, and for them, it is worth working every day and every instant of life.
Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer
Archbishop of São Paulo
Originally published in the booklet Povo de Deus em São Paulo on September 20, 2026
Full text in the original
O evangelho de hoje nos coloca uma questão importante: quem merece mais diante de Deus? Na parábola dos trabalhadores contratados em diversos horários do dia e que, no final do dia, receberam todos a mesma paga, houve a reclamação daqueles que trabalharam mais horas. Acharam que mereciam mais que aqueles que trabalharam apenas poucas horas (cf. Mt 20,1-16).
Na nossa lógica humana é assim mesmo: trabalhou mais horas, merece mais. Trabalhou menos horas, merece menos… Mas Jesus dá a entender que no reino de Deus não é bem assim. Para Deus, mais que os anos dedicados ao seu Reino, conta a aceitação generosa de seu chamado para se dedicar ao serviço do Reino de Deus. De fato, Deus nos paga segundo a medida de sua benevolência e generosidade, que são bem maiores que a estreita medida de nossos méritos.
Isso não significa que Deus despreze os nossos esforços e méritos, mas que a recompensa de Deus é bem maior que nossos méritos. E, no céu, ninguém terá motivos para reclamar, se encontrar lá alguém que viveu menos e teve menos tempo de dedicação ao Reino de Deus neste mundo… Os bens que Deus nos promete são humanamente impagáveis e todos só teremos a agradecer pela misericórdia e a fidelidade de Deus às suas promessas.
Isso se aplica aos muitos chamados de Deus para participarmos da obra de seu Reino neste mundo. Nem todos realizam obras grandiosas, nem são chamados a estarem em missões especiais; mas todos podem ser “trabalhadores da vinha do Senhor” no lugar onde se encontram, realizando o bem e praticando a caridade e as obras de misericórdia. Diante de Deus, têm valor a missão do sacerdote, do catequista, do missionário, do professor, do artista, dos pais que cuidam dos filhos e os educam, do administrador público, do motorista, do estudante, do enfermo, do médico e assim por diante. Em todas essas maneiras de viver e atuar, podemos servir a Deus e ao próximo e contribuir para a obra do Reino de Deus.
Viver é uma graça e levar uma vida útil para nós e para os outros é uma bênção. Cada dia que Deus nos dá para viver é mais uma ocasião para praticar o bem e amar as pessoas. Há tantas maneiras de o fazer e de ser úteis aos outros. Ouvir que alguém passou pela vida fazendo o bem, é um grande elogio. Ao contrário, seria péssimo ter de ouvir do grande Juiz essa repreensão, ao comparecer diante dele para prestar contas da vida: “Servo mau e preguiçoso!” (cf. Mt 25,26).
Não tenhamos dúvidas: A recompensa virá, certamente virá. Deus é generoso e recompensa até mesmo um copo de água dado a alguém por caridade. Mas o galardão maior que Deus promete é a participação na sua glória e na vida eterna, onde Deus mesmo será o prêmio para os bons trabalhadores de sua vinha. A redenção e a vida eterna feliz não têm preço e, por elas, vale a pena trabalhar todos os dias e todos os instantes da vida.
Cardeal Odilo Pedro Scherer
Arcebispo de São Paulo
Publicado originalmente no folheto Povo de Deus em São Paulo em 20 de setembro de 2026