THE DISTANCE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH

Today's liturgy calls us to reflect on the unimaginable ways and love of God. Have we in any way tried to subject God to a human form so that he does things in our own way? Do we place ourselves as superior over others, or better than others that we merit more reward than them? In God’s vineyard, he treats each one equally, and in his conception of justice, everyone is entitled to his unconditional love and generosity. 

Christ in the gospel tells his disciples a parable of the workers and the vineyard. This parable enables us to have a better understanding of the first reading of today, when God said, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” (Is. 55:7). God does not think or act as we do; his ways and thoughts are far from ours, like the heaven is to the earth. However, in Jesus Christ, heaven has come down to earth, and when we conform our ways and thoughts to those of Christ’ teachings, we become transformed and become more like God. 

Some of us may wonder why the householder who went out to hire labourers to work in his vineyard treated the first recruited ones this way. How could the labourers who worked for one hour be paid the same amount as those who worked for nine hours? All were given a denarius, which is the payment for a day’s labour. Who will call such a thing justice? Despite the fact that there was initial agreement on the pay, Christ presents to us that the Justice of God is governed by his generosity and unconditional love for all. 

The imagery of the householder indicates how God employs everyone in his vineyard. We all have the invitation to work in God’s vineyard. There is enough work for us to do in the house of God, so why will anyone be idle? Christ has hired us as His workers, and His payment is enormous; it is eternity, which closes the distance between heaven and earth that Isaiah indicates, or between man and God. All he demands in this work is true repentance by accepting his invitation. 

This unmerited invitation to God’s vineyard is extended to all of us, and the wages remain the same. Eternal life! What is most important is not the number of years we have been serving in God’s vineyard, but the diligence and faithfulness of our heart in serving him. Are we serving God with grudging minds, full of complaints, as the first labourers did in response to his generosity? Do we feel bitter and envious of the success and progress of others who have put in little effort in their service? We cannot determine for God his generosity.

Dear friends in Christ, today's message is clear: sin is the distance between heaven and earth. So, sin becomes a distance between man and God, between human and divine. If the nature of man is to fall into sin, the nature of the divine is to redeem man from sin. This distance can be removed when we totally conform ourselves to Christ the redeemer, who reconciles us with the Father. Hence, like the prophet, we can urge ourselves to seek the sacrament of penance while it may be found, for the Lord is generous and close to all who call Him.

Fr. Ken Dogbo, OSJ