St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church

Never Too Late  
Matthew 20:1-16
 

Read:
Jesus told his disciples this parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o'clock, the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.' So they went off. And he went out again around noon, and around three o'clock, and did likewise.

Going out about five o'clock, the landowner found others standing around, and said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard.' When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.'

When those who had started about five o'clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, 'These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day's burden and the heat.' He said to one of them in reply, 'My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?' Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last."

Read/Reflect:

Each year, at Easter Vigil, we celebrate those who come to the faith as adults. Some we may not have even realized they were not Catholic all along.  They come with their family each Sunday, their children and/or spouse are actively involved in serving, lectoring, etc., and we just assume sometimes the whole family is practicing Catholicism; until we see them on Easter Vigil night being Baptized, Confirmed, and receiving Eucharist. Or, a week or so later, it hits us this person has never gone to Communion before, why now, what changed?  We may even have a “pious” reaction, “Wow, he/she came late to the vineyard.”

“God’s arms never close. At each moment God reaches out to those who’ve turned away, or is “late to the vineyard.” And as Jesus says this week, God loves people who come late to the vineyard just as much as those who come early.  And those who come late can do awesome ministry!” Sometimes, they are better ministers to the world than us cradle Catholics. They don’t have the baggage of ‘taking things for granted’ the way early comers to Jesus have.

“What is even more of a lesson for us, is, we think we or they have done too much wrong to come home to God. It’s just not true! We have to remember God loves us each and yearns to draw all of us close to him. God can use ours or their mistakes to help others who have made bad decisions.  Like God, we can’t give up on people. We need to be God’s representatives - always inviting the people others or ourselves think are too far gone to change their ways. We need to be God’s representatives - always inviting the people who have not heard the Word of God in its fullness yet.  It is never too late for anyone to come to the vineyard of the Lord.”

This week, pray for those who are coming to the vineyard through RCIA or returning to practicing after being away from the Church.  Take time to pray for yourself, and see how you can be a gracious vineyard worker. Also, take time to see God working in others that we may not see as Godly people; as none of us are perfect, even if we came to the vineyard as an infant.

Brost, Corey CSV. Gospel Connections For Teens: Reflections for Sunday Mass Cycle A. St.Mary Press, 2007. pp. 110-111.

Looking Forward

Hard to believe but we are looking forward to the fall and need to know if there is anyone knows of a person who would like to join the Church. If you do know someone please call the church office and give us their name and number.