The Laborers in the Vineyard

God My Nagging Father

As parents we tend to repeat ourselves and constantly correct or remind our children to act or respond in a certain manner based on what we think are important lessons in life. We do so in order to make sure that our children don’t forget what is right and important and therefore choose what is good and beneficial in life. But to are children we may be a constant nagging parent, they may see us as some one who is constantly complaining, finding fault, grumbling, scolding and so on.

Isn’t the message of the parable of the vineyard a constant attempt from God to make us love our fellow brothers and sister, and to see and value them just as he does. Jesus commands us to love our neighbour as ourselves. If we did love them we would want them to have the same reward as us and nothing less, i.e the kingdom of God, eternal life with our one true love.

In todays world where every one wants to be on the top and pull the other person down, we Christians are called to walk the extra mile, give our coat, share our bread and give our life if needed. Throughout scripture our God, our father is nagging us to listen to what he knows is right and, proper and good, to see others as He does, to Love others as He loves them. He is constantly is reminding us to be perfect like Him.

Are we listening? Are we ready to hold His people in our hearts? Are we constantly working towards building the kingdom and willing to treat even the last as the first?

Lord thank you for not giving up on us. Help us to see, accept, share and love like You. Amen.

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Another reflection on today’s Gospel Reading

Love, Compassion and Mercy these are qualities of God we come to see in this in todays Gospel Text.

The Landowner does look unfair, and bloated with attitude in the parable. Yet if you replace the landowner with God who is Father, you will come to see this parable in a different light. Here is a God who does not judge his creation, no matter what it does, only loves it. He has mercy for them, and hence frequently invites those lost and hopeless, to come into his vineyard and work in it and receive a purpose, He know all that weakens us and makes us despise-able, and gives us reason to be better and serve him. We do not know the reason those who were not there in the marketplace in the beginning, came late to the market, the reasons may be good to foolish or downright laziness. The Father knows his children and yet provides for them and sustains them, because he is compassionate.

These are good qualities to cultivate in our own lives, and ask God our Father to bless us with. Having these will only bless everyone around us and will enrich our own lives. We will be better photo-frames of who God is. Our hurting and desensitized world requires more people having such qualities. Let us pray them, ‘God our Father, open our eyes and help us see, understand and identify with those around us and help us to extend your Love, Compassion and Mercy to them. Amen