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PRAYER FOR THE WEEK
Jesus, help me spend money wisely - including some for other people! Amen.

"Heaven is like a farmer who hired people to work in his fields," Jesus said. "He hired some at 9 a.m., some at noon, more in the afternoon and more later. Then he paid them all the same amount. The ones who'd worked longer grumbled. 'I'm not cheating you!' the farmer said. 'I promised you a day's pay, and you're getting it. So what if I want to pay these people just as much? It's my money.'" Jesus added: "The first will be last, and the last will be first."

A lot of families have rules for what the kids can do with their money. You might get an allowance, but have to put some of it in a bank; your parents might want you to give some to the Church.

Most families have rules about money to teach kids to spend it wisely. If you're allowed to spend all your money on candy and cheap toys that break easily, you'll end up with no money, no toys and a stomachache from too much junk food!

If anyone can be trusted with money - and everything else in our lives - it's God. That's the lesson in this week's Gospel (Matthew 20:1-16).

In the Gospel story, the farmer hires workers at different times of day, so some do less work than others - but they all get paid the same. When they argue about fairness, the farmer says he can spend his money however he likes.

Once you learn about good ways to spend and save your money, you understand that putting some in the bank is smart, because you'll have money left later. Giving some to the Church and people who need it is also smart, because we need to help each other out.

The farmer in Jesus' story is really God. The workers are us. God promises that, whenever people decide to "get hired" to be on God's side, they'll be treated fairly. Like a farmer can spend his money on his workers however he likes, God can treat us however He likes.

God chooses to be generous. When you have money, how do you use it?[[In-content Ad]]

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