God Is Merciful And Slow To Anger ~ Ronnie Archer

Today's first reading from Isaiah invites us to God's grace, and tells us to turn from our wicked ways and to seek the Lord while He may be found; to call Him while He is near.

God's ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts. God's ways are so much higher than the human mind can comprehend.

In the second reading of Paul to the Philippians, we hear how St. Paul loved Christ so much that he considered death as "gain"; but he realized that his life on earth was necessary in order to fulfill his mission here for Christ.

In Matthew's gospel we again hear the parable of the kingdom of heaven being compared to the landowner and the laborers. The laborers who were the first to be hired felt they were treated unfairly. They became disgruntled and grumbled because those who were hired in the final hour received the very same wages as those who had labored all day. They did not understand the generosity of the landowner and they were resentful.

Sometimes we can be jealous of how others are blessed, but we don't always know just what the needs of others are. God knows our needs and gives us what we need... not what we feel we deserve.

God invites us to relate to others. We come from different backgrounds, which might prevent us from relating to each other, but sometimes if we make a first step towards trying to understand each other, then we will be better able to relate to others.

God does not like our grumbling and complaining. It doesn't matter who comes first or who comes last, God's gifts of mercy, forgiveness, and generosity are available to us all.

Seek God while He is near. Take the Word of God and He will bless us.


~ Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~