Daily Thoughts: We are
confronted with that unsettling parable of Jesus’ again. Where is the justice?
Where are worker rights? How could the owner of the vineyard, how could Jesus
be so uncaring? What does it all mean?
There are some of the typical questions
and/or response I hear when this parable of the vineyard owner and the workers
comes around (Matthew 20: 1-16). I
always say to people this is not about worker rights, fair pay or justice. This
parable is about compassion, mercy, generosity and love. This parable is about
gratitude and letting God be God!
The line that always strikes me in this
parable is, “Are you envious because I am generous?” I believe this is a
struggle we all have with God. We are so programed to do the right thing and in
doing so we receive what is do us, but that is not how God operates.
I always this about the Good Thief when
this parable rolls around, it was just before his last breath that he connected
with God. We often talk about him stealing heaven. He is the very point of this
Gospel today. The door to the Kingdom is always open, never closed and we are
probably going to be surprised when we get there to see who is waiting to greet
us, because God is a generous God, a merciful God, a loving God.
The human rules of this life don’t ally
to God and many of us will be thankful that God doesn’t operate by human rules
and concerns when we reach the door of the Kingdom because without God’s mercy,
compassion and generosity we might find ourselves outside!
Be thankful not envious or judgmental
today for our generous God! Have a great Hump Day everyone and try to make a
joyful noise with your life today!
Daily Prayer:
We live today…
Christ with us,
Christ before us,
Christ behind us,
Christ in us,
Christ beneath us,
Christ above us,
Christ on our right,
Christ on our left,
Christ when we lie down,
Christ when we sit down,
Christ when we arise,
Christ in the heart of every person who thinks
of us,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of us,
Christ in every eye that sees us,
Christ in every ear that hears us.
We
live today…
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of
the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
We live today…
Thankful for a generous and loving God!
Amen.
A Runner’s Thoughts: “The body does
not want you to do this. As you run, it tells you to stop but the mind must be
strong. You always go too far for your body. You must handle the pain with
strategy… It is not age; it is not diet. It is the will to succeed.” (Jacqueline
Gareau)
So too in the spiritual life…the soul
and spirit must be strong. It is the will, the desire to be faith filled!
Daily Blessing: Happy Hump Day everyone! It was a busy evening
and morning…a wake last night, the 8 am mass and a 10 am funeral mass this morning, just
so you know that my days are not all broad walk and beach!
Another beautiful day here in Long Beach
but I have to remember to put sun screen on or I will look like a lobster as I did after my walk yesterday, when will I learn! I
hope your day has started off well and will only get better as the day goes on even if you find yourself in an airport awaiting flight delays.
In the spirit of the Gospel today I pray
that God will bless your day with a spirit of gratitude for the generosity of
God. May you be graced throughout this day and always with the compassion,
mercy, love and generousness of God in the places you go, in the people you
meet, in the things you do and in the gift of who you are in this world today!
Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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