25 Sunday of the Ordinary Season A - 02 - 22.09.2002

"My thoughts are not your thoughts." Which are our thoughts? Our thoughts follow our desires, and our desires are selfish. We are always worried about our riches, our comfort, our income, and easily become void, forgetting all about God and His love to the point of separating ourselves from Him. God's thoughts on the other hand are all full of love, for all: if we had to accept them, they would change our lives! This is what God wants, that we begin to think His way. Jesus help us by today's parable. The workers in the vineyard of the Lord arrived at different hours,  earl and later in the day. They work for Him, at His service. He loves them. He loved the last one to arrive as He loved all day the one to arrive first. But the one whom He loved all day long didn't understand, because he worked thinking only of the pay he was going to get. Love way far away from his heart and so he was not to understand the love the Lord has also for the last one to arrive. He was given the just pay but he remains unhappy because joy is not the fruit of the more or less one gets, but only of love. The vineyard of the Lord is His people. The workers that offer to work in first hour are the good ones, those that are faithful to the commandments, the pious Pharisees. The one to arrive afterwards are the sinners, those who decide to change their life at a later time, after having been selfish all their lives. God is happy that these return to Him, is happy that - from long ways - they finally arrive to Him.  God's reward is only one and equal to all: salvation, joy at heart, eternal life. Those who have always worked for God should be happy that others arrive and enjoy the same life, the radiant joy! If on the other hand they complain, its a sign that their heart is full of jealousy and envy, unlike the one of the Father! The end of this parable is similar to the parable of the prodigal son in the Gospel according to Luke. God expects those who work with Him and for Him to become good as He is good: its the most beautiful, full and perfect reward! The one who loves God understand! To work in the vineyard of the Lord is also St. Paul's thought. In his letter to the Christians of Philippi he confess that he doesn't think for himself, if he had to do so he  would have asked God to die and be with Christ which would have been better for himself! Instead he thinks for the good of the christians for the progress and the joy of your faith. The apostle is a great example of how to put on the mind of the Lord, very different than that of man! St. Paul wants to glorify Christ in his body both if I live or die. The who live by this aspiration, or better by this desire, keeps away from himself the temptation of being selfish and understands fully the lord of the parable said by Jesus! I try to understand it myself. I need to change my idea of a christian life that means only to do good and harm to no body, to work always, be efficient in church. I accept to think about the christian life as a gift, as a grace that is given to me to live in relationship with the Father and with Jesus, enlighted and guided by the Holy Spirit! Filled with this relationship, I give thanks and let God's love to flow from my heart to my brothers and sisters in faith and to all, loved by the Father! I should be more than happy if others join  in my thanksgiving, if others start to love and serve the God I love, and be happy with my work! 

Jesus, you are the worker of the first hour that shares the way of  the Father. You yourself, from on the cross, will give to the one of the last hour the reward for an only act of love for you! Thank' you Jesus!