We have all the love we need

A priest was talking to a mother of 10 children and asked her if she loved all 10 children equally.

She said, “My love depends on what each child needs at any given moment and where they are at any given time.”

Jesus seems to have a similar response in mind in today’s gospel parable. Hearing this parable most of us want to yell out, “Unfair! Unjust! How ridiculous to pay the last the same as the first!”

But all three readings want us to know that it is never too late to return to the Lord. For God says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts nor are your ways my ways.” All the Old Testament prophets stressed that even though the people were not worthy of God’s mercy, if they turn back to the Lord, they will have God’s mercy. God is so generous, forgiving and loving, as it is his nature.

The challenge he gives to us this week is to do the same. Can you stretch our mindset and imagination on justice and love? Could you possibly reach out to another with the same idea of this landowner to favor all equally from those first invited to work in the vineyard to those who just made it in at the last hour? There are many opportunities to enter the kingdom of God, but now is the acceptable time to act for that Kingdom, for time is limited and being generous and gracious might be our best way to enter.

It is not easy for we who have been faithful and hard workers to understand that demanding, hard work in the vineyard of life is not enough to earn salvation. God does not want anyone to be lost. A longtime worker and follower and a recent remorseful sinner stand before the Lord equally. God’s goodness counterbalances any human standard as a reward for hard work.

God sees each child, as does the mother in our opening story; He waits to give each child what they need at any given moment. It is not easy to truly believe and act on the simple statement of our responsorial psalm, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him.”

Another story that will help us see love in action is about the son and daughter who told the funeral director to spare no expense for their dad’s funeral.

So when the bill for over $25,000 came in, they paid it quietly and quickly.

However, the next month came an additional bill for $175, and they felt the undertaker had possibly forgotten something on the first bill and so they paid it. The problem was, for the next 3 months an additional bill for $175 came, and while they paid it they decided to go and find out the problem.

So, they stopped to see the funeral director and asked about the additional $175 bill each month.

He said, “You told me to provide the best funeral I could arrange for your dad, and I did. But I needed to rent a tuxedo for him!”