Matthew 20:1-16
       Illegal but loved    

       Several years ago, I spent time in two missions in the Dominican Republic. This was no pleasure cruise to Punta Cana. This was life in a small dusty town near the boarder with Haiti. The people were impoverished  yet rich in faith. They lived in basic one room huts with dirt floors, no plumbing and window openings with no glass. Still, it was a blessing to go and experience their love and their lives. I noticed the presence of our major US agro companies there, they paid these people peanuts for their crops of bananas and coffee beans. I came home rich with stories and appreciation for our life here in the United States.
     
       One of things about life in these United States, strongly linked to our way of life is the stock market and our companies.  In fact as I approach retirement, how companies do and how the stock market goes has particular import to me. Still, I can't help but think that the poor wages our US companies pay the DR people allows our stock values (and retirement portfolios) to rise as the companies' bottom lines are kept low, even if it keeps these people impoverished. If only there was a place where these people could go to break free of this corporate tyranny and make it on their own in a promised land.

        And so, foreigners of all kind seek our shores because of what we have (and they want) as well as because of what we do to keep them impoverished in their homeland. It's not an easy situation.

     I think of that when I see all these 'illegal aliens' standing on the corners in the morning looking for work. I wonder if it's all that different from the scene that todays reading describes. It certainly is something to think about. These people are willing to work very hard and in many cases at jobs 'we' don't want to do. I really don't think shipping them all home is a reasonable solution for either of us.

      When I read the scripture, the other thought that I think we cannot escape is the image of generosity of the landowner (really, God). Are we willing to accept that God would be equally generous with our brothers and sisters even if they haven't toiled as much as we have?  Clearly God does not use that measuring stick as a guide. Do we?

       A good meditation might be to think about God's generosity to us. Be thankful for being born here. Also, think about how generous we are to our brothers and sisters. The same notation I made yesterday is in todays reading as well. The last shall be first and the first shall be last. Just something to think about, maybe pray about.