My sisters and brothers,
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ!
Last week, we celebrated the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which is also the Feast of our school. The Cross, once a sign of suffering and death, has become the greatest sign of God’s love. The Cross is God’s “I love you” written across human history. So, when life becomes difficult, do not simply look at the Cross—look to Jesus. Ask Him to help you trust, serve with humility, forgive generously, and love even when love is costly.
Today’s readings invite us to enter more deeply into the mystery of God’s Kingdom. Through Isaiah, God tells us, “Seek the Lord while he may be found.” This is not a call to wait for the perfect moment to return to God. Grace is being offered now. Whatever has separated us from Him—sin, resentment, pride, fear, or indifference—can be surrendered today. God does not merely tolerate our return; He “will abundantly pardon.”
Yet Isaiah reminds us that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are higher than ours. This becomes beautifully clear in Jesus’ parable of the workers in the vineyard.
Those who worked all day are troubled when
those who arrived at the last hour receive the same wage. Their problem is not that the landowner failed to keep his promise. Their hearts have become trapped in comparison. Jesus asks, “Are you envious because I am generous?”
How often do we make the same mistake? We measure ourselves against others, count what we have done, remember what we believe we deserve, and wonder why God seems so generous to someone else. But the Kingdom of Heaven is not built on our human mathematics. It is built on grace.
Saint Paul gives us the proper perspective: “For to me, living is Christ.” Whether he lives or dies, his desire is that Christ be glorified. He is willing to remain and labor because others still need the Gospel.
That is our challenge today. God has called each of us into His vineyard. Some have served for many years; others may be just beginning. There is no room for envy—only gratitude and fruitful labor. Let us seek the Lord now, rejoice in His mercy, and spend our lives making Jesus Christ known. Amen.
God Loves you!
~ Fr. NEIL