Is. 55:6-9; Phil. 1:20-24, 27; Mt. 20:1-16
The people who
gained greatness embarked on their career at various stages in
their life. A late bloomer is a person whose talents or capabilities are not
visible to others until later than usual. Many writers have published their
first major work late in life. Mary Wesley might be a classic
example.She wrote two children's books in her late fifties, and her writing career did not gain note until her first novel at 70. Harriet Doerr published her first novel at age 74. Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first novel in the in her sixties. In philosophy Mary Midgley had her first book when she was 56. Bill Traylor who started drawing at age 83. Another painter Alfred Wallis began painting in his 60s. These are a few examples of late bloomers.
example.She wrote two children's books in her late fifties, and her writing career did not gain note until her first novel at 70. Harriet Doerr published her first novel at age 74. Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first novel in the in her sixties. In philosophy Mary Midgley had her first book when she was 56. Bill Traylor who started drawing at age 83. Another painter Alfred Wallis began painting in his 60s. These are a few examples of late bloomers.
In the history of salvation too we see the
chosen people were called at different stages in their life. Samuel was
called, when he was a young boy. David called in his youth. The sons of Zebedee
were young when they received the invitation to join Jesus. Joan of Arc
was young maiden when she was entrusted with a great mission. But, Abraham
crossed his youth when he was called. Peter was an old man when he was chosen
by Jesus. Saint Ambrose was called in his 40s.
The thoughts of God are not the thoughts of
man. The ways of God are not the ways of man. As the heavens are higher than
the earth, the ways of God are higher than the ways of man and the thoughts of
God are higher than the thoughts of man. The way of God is beyond the
understanding of the world; the ways of men are limited.
From today's reading of the Gospel of
Matthew, we learned that God does not call everybody at the same time. Some are
called early in life as the early labourers were called, having received their
baptism as infants. Some were called as teenagers. Some were called during
their married life and others, much later in life. And some are like the
labourers who were called around five o'clock; their conversion took place at the
last hour, like the thief on the cross.
The parable describes the kind
of things that frequently happened at certain times in Palestine.
The grape harvest ripened towards the end of September, and
then closes on its heels the rains came. If the harvest was not
ingathered before the rains broke, then it was ruined; and so to get
the harvest in was a frantic race against time. Any worker was welcome, even if
he could give only one hour to the work.
It was also a common site at the market
places that labourers came with their tools, and waited till someone
called them. The men who stood in the market place were waiting for work,
and the fact that some of them stood on until the 11th
hour are the proof of how desperately they wanted it.
The first lesson of this parable is: To have
been called into God’s kingdom is a sheer act of mercy on God’s part. In
Israel there were many great veteran warriors to fight with Goliath. But,
God chose a young boy who was not even able to put on the armour to subdue
Goliath. When God chose a simple maiden, Mary, to be the mother of Jesus, there
were many young women of respectable genealogy, who were hoping to be
called by God. When Jesus called the illiterate fisher man Peter, in
Israel there were many learned men who wished to follow Jesus. All these
show that God chooses who He wants, and when he wants. And this call is a sheer
act of mercy on God’s part.
The Gospels say that when the house
holder went out he saw them standing in the market place. Their only
requirement to qualify to work in his field was that they were seen by the
householder. He offered them a chance, and they made use of it. In our life too
we are given many chances, but often we fail to recognize them. Three times the
Lord called Samuel where he lay in bed, and three times he answered by saying
"Here I am" and ran out to see Eli in the next room. He required the
help of Eli to recognize the call of God. Once he knew that he was called by
God, his response was “Here I am”. A total surrender. God calls in our dreams.
He calls in the voice of those people who are trying to help us find our way.
He calls through our spouses and our workmates. He calls when we read his word.
He calls when we gaze upon the heavens. He calls out to us when we pray.
Recognize the call of Good and submit to him with the response “Lord here
I am.”
The second lesson of the parable
is generosity of God. These men all did not do the same work, but
they did receive the same pay.
Allen and Violet Large, a loving elderly couple from Nova Scotia,
Canada, won $11.2 million in the lottery. But instead of living happily ever
after in luxury, they decided to give their winnings away. Being content
with their average, peaceful lifestyle, they decided that the money would bring
them unnecessary stress. They helped their family with some of the money and
then divided the rest of the money between churches, organizations fighting
cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army,
cemeteries, hospitals, also their local fire department.
Their neighbours found difficult to understand them. They could
never imagine such an act of generous giving. But the couple were
disturbed and thought that, were they not free to use their own gifts as they
wanted!
When the house holder paid the wages, at the end of the day, those
who were called in the first hour grumbled at the generosity of the
householder. “These last,’ they said, ‘have worked for one hour,
and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden and
the hot wind of the day.’ He answered one of them, “Can I not do what I like
with my own money?”
The gift
of God comes to us at the unexpected time, in an unexpected manner. Let
us wait with an open heart. And, we will be able to recognize the voice of
God. As Demosthenes taught, “Small opportunities are often the
beginning of great enterprises.” If we wait for great opportunities,
we will certainly miss many opportunities that knock at our door.
“It’s the man who waits for his ship to come in who’s always missing the boat,”
says an Anonymous proverb.
Robert
Browning reminds us that “"All service ranks the same with God: With God,
whose puppets, best and worst, are we; there is no last or first". It is
not the amount of service given, but the love in which it is given which
matters.’ Those who carry out the will of God with love and
humility will be acceptable before the Lord. So, Jesus says, “The first
will be the last and the last will be the first.”
Satish