He said “All” - Reflection 25th Sunday A

Readings

He said “All.”

Jesus said that the greatest and first commandment was (Mt 22:37) You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind

Think about that as we look at the parable of the workers. Those who worked all day received the same wages as those who worked for just one hour, so they complained.

If we apply this to our faith, then we can look at the parable this way: The vineyard owner is God. The laborers are people doing God’s work in this life. The wage given is eternal life in union of love with God in heaven

But the problem with those vineyard workers then and even many who do the Lord's work today is what can be called consumer mentality. Consumer mentality asks the question – what’s in it for me?

• I work more than anyone else, I should merit more grace.
•  I have been a believer all my life, God should favor me.
• I’m more pious, more devout, more prayerful, more this more that; so, I should get more, more, more…

Here is the question I’d like to ask those with this mentality - What more do you want?

You are the adopted sons and daughter of God. You are promised eternal life. You have been saved for eternity. You will know the kingdom of heaven.

For what more could we be asking? 

It’s a place we all go; I found myself there recently.

September was our first on-line retreat; A Mother’s Tears: A Retreat on Our Lady of Sorrows. Saturday morning was to be the first closing conference breakfast. I reminded everyone of the retreat every week. I placed announcements on the Webpage and Facebook. I sent invitations to email contacts. I was prepared even if no one completed the online part.

Arriving early, I made breakfast of pancakes, sausage, coffee, and fruit, expecting a full house.  The only one to show up was my wife.

I was bummed. Looking at the empty hall, my consumer mentality kicked in,” What’s in all this for me?”

I decided just to eat too much breakfast and leave. But, my beautiful fountain of wisdom, Janet, says, “I came for the conference; teach me what you were going to teach others.”

So, I sat down to review the closing conference with my wife. One thing emphasized during the retreat that I had highlighted in my notes was this – He said “All.”

Up until that time, it really hadn’t made an impact on me.

Yet, I was feeling sorry for myself because no one showed up. It was Janet and I praying and talking about the Sorrow of Our Lady, when those three words hit home.  He said “All.”

Jesus said this was the greatest and first commandment. (Mt 22:37) You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind

At that time I realized, I was failing badly.

Isaiah’s prophesy says - Seek the LORD... Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked his thoughts; turn to the LORD for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving.

In the parable Jesus reminds us the same; the Lord is generous. His generosity is "All" that we are made in the likeness and image of God.

If I truly believe I am made in the likeness and image, I should be the same. Everything that is not striving for this ideal is sin. It does not matter if I am preaching to one or to hundreds.  It does not matter if I came to labor early or late. I am to give all.

If I am created in His image and likeness, I am to be generous and forgiving. Because we are to love Him with all that we are. It’s about, “He said ‘All’”.

I must give all to be in union with God. It’s making all, everything a prayerful act.

All I do must have purity of intention. Everything should be without ulterior motive, not done what’s in it for me.

All my work must be done with fervor. It’s about doing everything for God with passion, dedication, and offering up everything and all you do to God.

In that, we can come close to being the person Paul writes about:  Christ will be magnified in us whether by life or death. For me, Life is Christ; living means to have fruitful labor.

Serving God is not about what’s in it for me.

Paul concludes: Conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ.

In that Gospel, He said “All.”

I will remind you the same.

Yall be good, Yall be holy and live the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.