The rest of my life (prayer meeting 21/08/2013)

Few years back, the whole world is experiencing an economic downturn due to the subprime crisis which began in 2008. The crisis happened due to the rise in subprime mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures. The crisis has brought a tremendous impact on our economy that lead us  into a recession,which ultimately brings unemployment to the country. 

In today's Gospel, what can we understand the parable given by Jesus about work and wages, welfare and the unemployed that tell us about the kingdom of God? In the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, we see the extraordinary generosity and compassion of God. There is great tragedy in unemployment, the loss of work, and the inability to earn enough to live and support oneself or one's family. In Jesus' times laborers had to wait each day in the marketplace until someone hired them for a day's job. No work that day usually meant no food on the family table. The laborers who worked all day and received their payment complain that the master pays the late afternoon laborers the same wage. The master, undoubtably, hired them in the late afternoon so they wouldn't go home payless and hungry.

We can see God generosity. God is generous in opening the doors of his kingdom to all who will enter, both those who have labored a life-time for him and those who come at the last hour. While the reward is the same, the motive for one's labor can make all the difference. Some work only for reward. They will only put as much effort in as they think they will get back. Others labor out of love and joy for the opportunity to work and to serve others. The Lord calls his disciples to serve God and neighbor his heavenly kingdom and our earthly community with generosity and joy. Do you perform your work and responsibilities with cheerfulness and diligence for the Lord's sake? And do you give generously to others, especially to those in need of your care and support?

Perhaps, you might have wasted your life in "doing your own thing." Now, we are the follower of Christ through baptism, we have given our life to Jesus, we don't want "to spend what remains of the earthly life on human desires but on the will of God, because we know that the will of God always is the best for us. We don't want to do something that hurt our relationship with God. Already you have devoted enough time to what the pagans enjoy" (1 Pt 4:2-3).

Today, the Lord wants to change your sorrow into joy (see Ps 30:12) by assuring you that He will give you a full-day's pay even if you've only worked for Him a very short time (Mt 20:14). The Lord "will repay you for the years which the locust has eaten" (Jl 2:25), that is, for the wasted years of life. The Lord in His mercy often saves the best for last, as He did at the wedding feast of Cana (Jn 2:10). So "give no thought to what lies behind but push on to what is ahead" (Phil 3:13).

The Lord has died to atone for our past, so forget about it. Let us thank the Lord that we have the privilege of living for Him in the present, at the same time, let us make the following promise: "For the rest of my life, I will serve the Lord alone, in every way, with all my heart." Amen.