DAILY HOMILIES #labourers

Dear friend, do you constantly complain about others? Or are you a Jacob who knows how best to take advantage of whatever may be their situation? When did you last ask for a blessing from your parents or an older person?

Today’s readings proclaim loudly the superabundant love of God, the love that led the Israelites, our ancestors in the faith, on eagle’s wings out of the land of bondage. (First Reading) This is the same love that moved Jesus to die for our sake even though, as sinners, we didn’t deserve it (Second Reading). The love made Jesus look at the crowd compassionately and appoint labourers for Divine harvest. (Gospel Passage).

It is not enough that we go to church, or contribute to its building, we must have our say even in the formulation of laws and policies that directly bear on the promotion of the kingdom of God on earth. The question we must always ask ourselves is this: “In what ways can I use my good office like Nehemiah to serve the work of God?”

Like the workers who were recruited for work in the vineyard at different times of the day, we are not all gifted the same way, we were not all born the same day, and we did not come to know God the same day. However, in the end, we all shall be rewarded not according to how much work we have done but according to what is rightfully our due.

Pray that God sends more labourers into the harvest. Pray for your leaders, pray for your shepherds, pray for me! As you pray for us, perhaps, you too might begin to hear the call of God. Perhaps, God will open your eyes to see many areas where you too can contribute your quota towards solving the problem of scarcity of labourers in God’s vineyard.