It is never too late

Listening to the Spirit

God almighty Father, pour out Your Holy Spirit, transform our thought to be like your thought, our plan to be like your plan, our ways to be like your ways. Let us walk always in your ways. Give us the strength to answer your call, to renew our life because for you it’s never late to answer your call. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen

Listening to the Word

Matthew 20:1-16

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard.

Going out about nine o’clock, the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ So they went off. And he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o’clock, the landowner found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’

When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’

Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Reflection

Fr. Joe is a missionary. He is working in Sierra Leone, West Africa. He came to the Philippines for his vacation. He had a plan to come back to Sierra Leone on September 13, 2020, at 11:55 pm. He had return tickets. So, on September 8, he went to the hospital for a swab test. On September 21, in the evening, he got the result. The result was Negative from Covid-19. He was so happy about the result.

However, one hour later, he got a call from the agency that his flight was canceled. He was so sad. Then all of a sudden, his plan collapse.

We may make our plans, but God has the last word. In the time of pandemic sometimes we have a beautiful plan but suddenly our plans breakdown. At this time of the pandemic, we can make a long list about the cancellation of our programs.

We may make our plans, but God has the last word. God’s plan sometimes different than our plan. God’s thought sometimes different than our thought. God’s ways sometimes different than our ways, as our first reading.

Akala ko ( I think), it is enough to forgive Seven times, but for Jesus, we have to forgive seventy times seven.

Akala ko, I just love whoever loves me, but Jesus said, Love your enemies.

Akala ko, as in our Gospel today, the workers who came first would receive more, but ‘each of them also got the usual wage.”

However, based on our Gospel today, we know that God is so generous and God always gives us the opportunity. It is better late than never. It’s never too late to begin a new good habit. It’s never too late to quit bad habits. It’s never too late to forgive. It’s never too late to begin to give more time for your family. It’s never too late to learn a new thing.

Amen