WE COMPLAIN BECAUSE OF ENVY

Adeladius Makwega – MBAGALA

 

“God is faithful to His word. God always fulfills His part. God is generous and gracious to everyone. Sometimes we complain, not because of justice, but because of envy.”

These are among the words of reflection from the homily of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, on the 25th Sunday of Year A of the Church’s Liturgical Year.

 

In this Sunday’s Gospel, we hear the parable of workers who were hired to work in a vineyard.

 

Jesus explains that there was a landowner who went out to hire workers at different times of the day.

The first group agreed with the landowner on the usual daily wage. For the groups that came later, the landowner promised to give them whatever he considered fair.

 

When evening came, all the workers were called to receive their wages.

 

But things became difficult when the first group saw that those who had been hired at the end of the day were also paid the same amount.

 

They felt that they had been treated unfairly.

 

From their point of view, they were the ones who had carried the burden of the work and endured the heat of the entire day. Therefore, they felt that they deserved more than those who had worked for a shorter period.

We can also ask ourselves: Was the landowner being unjust?

 

But in this reflection, the answer is different.

The landowner fulfilled his agreement with the first group. To the others, he generously gave what he considered appropriate.

 

Here is where we encounter the way God acts and how He deals with us.

 

God is faithful to His word. God fulfills His promises. God is generous and gracious to everyone.

 

And sometimes, when we complain, it is not because we are demanding justice; we complain because of envy.

On this Sunday, Mwanakwetu attended Mass at Bikira Maria Immakulata Church, Chamwino Ikulu Parish, Archdiocese of Dodoma, during the Second Mass.

 

But during this Mass, there is one thing that Mwanakwetu would like to share with his readers: the sounds of responses during Mass.

 

Normally, during the celebration of Mass, there are various sounds that create the atmosphere of worship.

 

There is the sound of bells, applause, the sound of incense during the use of the censer, as well as the responses of the faithful after the priest or celebrant introduces a prayer or response.

 

For example:

“The Lord be with you.”

The faithful:

“And with you.”

Or:

“The Lord be with you.”

The faithful respond together.

All these are sounds that create the true atmosphere of the Church during worship.

 

And this is where Mwanakwetu remembers an important lesson he was once taught about the fundamentals of radio broadcasting.

 

My teacher, who taught me the Fundamentals of Radio Broadcasting at DW Akademie in 2012, once told me something that I have carried in my mind to this day.

 

He said:

“When a journalist is reporting or preparing a feature about the Church, the essential environmental sounds must be heard in the report, feature, or live broadcast. This gives the work greater life.”

 

He emphasized that at least two or three environmental sounds should be heard to help the listener recognize that the journalist is in the setting of a Mass.

In other words, environmental sounds bring the listener into the event.

 

That German teacher also emphasized:

 

“Make sure your recording machine, or your microphone during a live broadcast, captures those sounds properly.”

For Mwanakwetu, this remains an important lesson for journalism students who are learning the profession of radio broadcasting.

 

Now let us return to the Second Mass of this Sunday at Bikira Maria Immakulata Church.

There was one particular sound that was heard very clearly and was responded to by all the faithful together.

 

It was when the priest invited the congregation to sing and said:

“SING!”

And the faithful responded with great enthusiasm:

 

“Sing, sing with joy,

praise, praise the Eucharist,

He is there, Jesus Christ is there,

Christ is there, fully present…”

At that moment, Mwanakwetu felt that the atmosphere of the Church had become complete.

The faithful participated.

No one remained silent.

Everyone tried to respond.

The voices of the faithful could be heard together.

And this greatly attracted Mwanakwetu’s attention.

At that moment, I found myself remembering again the words of my teacher at DW Akademie in 2012: “Environmental sounds give a journalist’s work life.”

Indeed.

Mwanakwetu felt as though those old lessons had found a living example right before him.

However, there was one thing that Mwanakwetu noticed.

 

When the choir sang some of the other hymns, even Mwanakwetu himself realized that he did not know them very well.

He began trying here and there.

He followed others.

He looked at the words.

He tried to sing.

But in his heart, he asked himself:

Would it not be better if many of the hymns used during Mass were familiar to many of the faithful, so that everyone could participate fully in the worship?

Because Mass is not a choir concert.

 

The choir is there to help the faithful participate together in worship.

 

Therefore, when the faithful know the hymns, they have a greater opportunity to participate with their hearts, their voices, and in unity.

But we should not blame the choir alone.

 

We, the faithful, also have a responsibility to learn those hymns.

 

In his reflection for this Sunday, Cardinal Tagle says:

“God is faithful to His word. God always fulfills His part. God is generous and gracious to everyone.”

Then he reminds us of something that can cause each one of us to look within ourselves:

 

“Sometimes we complain, not because of justice, but because of envy.”

This is where Mwanakwetu sends a message to Cardinal Tagle.

 

He asks him:

“Cardinal Tagle, when I look around and ask myself why some of our churches like to use new hymns all the time, while some of the old hymns that are familiar to many of the faithful continue not to be sung, Father Cardinal, this bothers me. Is this also envy?”

 

Or perhaps it is simply a desire to see more of the faithful participate together?

 

And so the question remains with each one of us.

 

Perhaps we do not have to answer it quickly.

 

Perhaps we first need to look within ourselves.

 

Because the message of this Sunday reminds us:

“Sometimes we complain, not because of justice, but because of envy.”

 

Mwanakwetu, are you there? Remember this.

 

When we see something that has not happened as we expected, before complaining, let us ask ourselves:

 

Am I demanding justice — or am I being driven by envy?

I wish you a blessed Sunday.

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