By Fr. Glenn Jones:

I was watching a police show the other day in which robbers were targeting persons over 60 years old. The police commander’s urgent order was: “We have to find these punks before they prey on more of the elderly!”

Dang—so I’ve hit the “elderly” category?! Sure doesn’t feel like it … other than creaky joints, and worsening eyesight and hearing, and memory, and …). Next thing you know I’ll be getting “senior discounts”! Oh, wait! … I already get those.

Yes, time inexorably sneaks up on us. No matter how many times our elders warned us of how time flies, we don’t believe it ‘til we “get up there” in age—when there’s no doubt that more (maybe a lot more) years lie behind than ahead. Yup—the warranty’s done run out.

We all have an instinctive fear of death … the great unknown … the great portal through which we all will walk. “What’s it like?” we wonder. Even atheists often fear death … which may actually belie their certitude in their proclaimed atheism.  “What if all that ‘God’ stuff is true?”

We Christians, of course, literally bet our lives on it being true, and try to live in a manner affirming that belief. But even in the times we fail, we have God’s own assurance that it’s never too late to return to a more sincere way of living His truth and goodness. Similarly, we need to impress upon those who have lapsed—or even never believed—that the door is always open to them as well. All they need do is knock. (ref. Matthew 7:7)

God’s grace cannot BUT work in everyone’s life, but realizing that grace out of the world’s noise can take time. But Jesus, scriptures as a whole, and even the lives of many saints give us myriad affirmations of the later comings to faith—and how we who have been “working in the vineyard” longer should rejoice when those who are seeking it strike upon the path.

Read the parable in Matthew 20—laborers hired throughout the day—all receiving a day’s wage regardless. Initially it may seem as if the early hires got a bum deal in working the whole day, but that’s not how it’s meant. As the commentator William Barclay notes, the image is of day workers wanting to be hired, not idlers. For the laborer to not work meant they and their families might have to go without food that day. Thus imagine the relief and thankfulness of the late-hires at the generosity of the vineyard owner when he paid them a full wage nonetheless.

Well, the true master of the vineyard comes to each person innumerable times in our lives to hire us—not for a daily wage, but for eternal life. The “hire” is our acceptance of His call, the constant “Help Wanted” ad is our conscience … ever goading us to do what is right, to avoid the wrong, to love God and neighbor … to seek truth. We can certainly suppress conscience, but conscience is always there—like a pebble in your shoe.

But following God’s Word and the good isn’t always easy; that’s why many don’t do it. Like in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-9), many are dissuaded by the challenge and by the deceptive attractions of the world. Therefore the good person or faithful Christian must often be a “lone ranger” either in family or society, rejecting that which is not good. So it helps in following Christ or in doing the good to keep ourselves in like company, while not neglecting to recruit others. Thus, the faith community. But even if we have to go it alone as many have, God gives us the grace and strength to do so.

The point of Jesus’ vineyard parable is to show God’s unbounded generosity … emphasizing His love for all who sincerely seek Him, whenever they find Him during their lives. God—the vineyard owner—calls everyone; no person is created simply to be condemned. Otherwise, St. Paul could not claim that God “…desires ALL men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4)

But God may call us to the harvest at different times and in different ways—perhaps a special prodding of grace, or perhaps finally ending resistance to that grace. St. Augustine is a prime example: though raised Christian, he explored all sorts of other faith beliefs and had a mistress, until he set his heart firmly on sincerely following Christ. Jesus assures us: “I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7) … God’s generous mercy and love overruling even His justice; we see that by the cross itself.

So rejoice when the hopeless receive hope, and when the lost finally find the Way.  As the prodigal son’s father told the resentful elder brother: “Son…It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:31-32) Remember that though the late-hires received the same wage, they doubtless suffered increasing fear and anxiety as the day wore on—anxiety which early-hires were spared.

We are not competitors in the spiritual life, but teammates … or, better yet,  family. Some run faster … some slower … some may have to stop and walk a while; our desire is to get everyone across the finish. Christian leadership is not just getting yourself across the line, but helping and encouraging teammates along the way.

So let us not be superior or berate, but rather encourage and support, pointing out pitfalls in the path. Some may even have to lean on you … but that is what Christianity does: helping others even at our own inconvenience, going the extra mile with eyes fixed on the joy of the destination. That is the leadership to which we are called … to truly be the “salt of the earth and the light of the world.”

—————–

The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.

(Psalm 145:8-9)

Editor’s note: Rev. Glenn Jones is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and former pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Alamos.