The inheritance as our reward

Sisters and brothers in Christ, Paul the Apostle reminds us, "Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not others, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward - you are serving the Lord Christ" (Colossians 3:23-24).

I bet Saint Paul was thinking of Jesus' parable, from today's Gospel, when he wrote these words to the Colossians, particularly "from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward" for a life laboring in the vineyard of the Lord. Whether you started working in his vineyard early on in life or later in life, God's outpouring of love, mercy, and generosity, but not only for you, but for everyone who chooses to come and follow Christ. It is never too late.

For us, we must think as God does and not as we do so that we rejoice when someone turns to God - no matter how late in life they do it, perhaps even a "deathbed" conversion - and not be envious or jealous of God's generosity towards them. Nor will He cheat us. God's generosity knows no bounds and we ought to be grateful for that.

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Gospel of the Day

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,
he 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,
he 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.”