Homily for Sept. 18th

Homily for Sept. 18, 2005
Readings Isaiah 55:6-9 Psalm 14: 2-3, 8-9, 17-18
Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a Matthew 20:1-16a
“Seek the Lord while He may be found“, these opening words from Isaiah are words we all should be taking to heart. If life has proved anything to us, it is that our mortal lives are short lived. We never know the hour or the moment we will be called home. We need to seize the chance now to Seek the Lord in our lives. We need to make the Lord the center of our lives. Further on in Isaiah we hear “Let the scoundrel forsake his ways and Turn to the Lord for mercy” Mercy, even in the Old Testament God’s mercy is the center of the message to all. The Gospel tells the story of the landowner who hires a crew to work the vineyards at dawn, and again at 9, 12, 3 and 5, each time sending men who needed work into the fields. At evening when the laborers were being paid, those he hired first expected they would receive more than the agreed pay, instead they complained because they only received what was agreed upon, while all those who were hired throughout the day also received the same. The landowner showed his compassion for the poor, disadvantaged.
The Landowner represents God, He gives what he feels is fair, He gives His compassion and mercy to those who have been faithful all their lives in the same measure as those to come to Him at the last hour.
The last line of the Gospel say it all; “Thus the last shall be first and the first will be last” It does not matter when we seek the Lord, what matters is that we seek Him. “Our God is generous and forgiving” The Psalm says it all; “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him”
All we have to do is Call on Him. Trust in Him. If we do not get what we think we want and need, do not get angry or think that He is not listening to us. Remember the words also found in today’s reading of Isaiah “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord” We need to trust that God knows what is best for us, If we trust, fully trust, in God. If we put our lives in His control and not try to control our lives without Him being at the center of our lives, we will find our life to be so much better. As we are directed in the reading from Philippians, “Conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the Gospel of Christ.”
How can we be worthy of Christ? By showing compassion, forgiveness, generosity, honesty, and Love for all God’s Children we meet on our life journey.
In other words, “Seek the Lord while and wherever You can find Him, in the homeless, the discriminated, in every person you encounter. Seek the Lord in every moment and act in a way that reflects the values Jesus showed us. Amen
Rev. Robert Francis Johnnene SFI
Mission Sts Sergius and Bacchus