We, Filipinos, are very familiar with the tagalog rebuke: “Buti nga sa iyo” which means, serves you right, or you deserve it. Perhaps we have said that to someone, or perhaps we have heard others say that to us.
Whether it is a child who over-ate and now suffers gas pain, or a smug and obnoxious officemate who is now being kicked out of the office, or a friend who did us an injustice and is now suffering for it, we say: “Buti nga sa iyo. You deserve it after all.”
In the pages of the book from the Old Testament, the prophet was saying this to Israel. Israel was asking for a king, but was hurting in its relationship with God. In its insistence to get a king, it got a bad king.
The prophet stood up and said to Israel: “Buti nga sa inyo,” or “You deserved it. God alone is king and you asked this human being to stand in place of God. You deserve what you are getting.”
The Gospel of Luke 20:16 speaks along the same line, although in the opposite way. This time, the servants and tenants were saying: “We do not deserve it. We do not deserve this kind of treatment.” the servants were expecting to be paid more than the others.
Isn’t it true that we are also familiar with these words: “I don’t deserve this. I have been going to Church. I have been obeying the Commandments. Why is my husband sick? Why am I in pain? Why are people talking against me? I do not deserve this.”
The servants in the Gospel were echoing this same sentiment that all of us may have felt at one time or another. “I do not deserve this.”
Now, brothers and sisters, the Lord in the Gospel reminds us that we do not deserve anything. We do not deserve blessings from Jesus. We do not get blessings because we are meritorious or have done so well.
Every good thing we receive from the Lord is not a reward.
Every good thing we receive from the Lord is given to us because God is good in spite of us.
All the good things we have done put together will not even qualify us for heaven.
When we go to heaven it will not be because God is rewarding us.
When we go to heaven, it will only be because God is being good to us in spite of us.
You are all in my prayers as I continue to observe the Disciplines of Lent!
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