Our generous God ~ A Reflection ~ 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Is 55:6-9
Ps 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18(18a)
Phil 1:20c-24, 27a
Mt 20:1-16a

Our God is a generous God. We see it plainly in the parable of the landowner who hires laborers for his vineyard. In Matthew's Gospel, we learn that the landowner is not satisfied with hiring only during the morning hours. He goes out several times during the day and into the evening, inviting every idle worker he finds, to come to work for him. To each he promises the same wage, despite the later complaints of unfairness by those who have worked the longest and who feel they should receive more.

Our God is like this generous landowner. He offers everyone a place in his Kingdom. All we need do is to leave sin behind and follow in the footsteps of his Son, Jesus. It doesn't matter whether we accept his invitation early in our lives, or late... our reward will be the same. Eternal Life.

Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, speaks of his yearning to be united with his Lord... to receive the reward for his faithfulness. However he realizes that in spite of his desire, the Lord still has work for him to do here in this earthly vineyard. Paul's faithfulness is a sign of his total commitment to the Lord and thus he is willing to continue to work among the people he is evangelizing. This is the same commitment the Lord asks of us.

Isaiah reminds us to "Seek the Lord while he may be found, call him while he is near..." We are to forsake sin and to "turn to the Lord for mercy." (55:6ff) The Lord is always there to receive us, to forgive us and to give us the strength to carry on.

The psalmist understood and believed so deeply in God's mercy and love that his words echo down to us today:

"Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever." (Ps 145:2-3)


~ Image from Cacina