TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY –

23rd /24th SEPTEMBER 2023

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

                                        The Generous Love of God

The generous land owner in our gospel parable for this Sunday must be a very generous man. He went out of his way to go and look for workers in his vineyard. He did not wait for anybody to put up an application for the job but out of his own volition went out to look for people who have no job to come to his vineyard and work. What sensible employer would behave like this man?

This farmer knows that there were people who may not have met requirements for job positions at bid establishments, hence he decided to go out and search for such people and give them something doing to be able to eke out their living. What a generous and kind man.

Dear friends in Christ, the owner of our world is God, he created all of us in his own image and kindness. In the book of Genesis chapter 1 verse 28 he says to us, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and conquer it.” Here we have a God who believes in us and wants us to continue the good work he began. Here is a God who believes that there is dignity in our labour. What a wonderful God, I feel like staging a beautiful dance for him now. Whatever work we do is a participation in the beautiful work God began just to make the world a beautiful place for us to dwell in. This is God’s love God in action. Of course, his love is better than life Ps 63:3.

You can now understand why the parable tells us that the land owner went out to get workers to work for him in his vineyard. So, whatever work you do, you are standing in for God. In the book of Jeremiah chapter 1:4, he says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you came to birth I consecrated you; I have appointed you as prophet to the nations.” God did not blow us like bubbles into existence. Each one has a role to play to justify his or existence.

We pray for leaders of countries all over the world to learn from this generous landowner in creating healthy environment for their citizens to work and be satisfied. It might to some extent solve the problem of migration all over the world. May we experience the touch of God through the works we do.       

Fr Vincent Nnatuanya C.S.Sp.