Homily 24 September 2023:  Matthew 20:1-16a

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Please read this passage before reading the homily.

My sisters and brothers,

In the beginning there were men and women, but God chose Abraham and his descendants.  The pagans came to work at the first hour and Abraham came later at the last hour.

The Jewish people worked the first hour and the Christians came at the last hour.  Christians came before the indigenous peoples of the Americas and the indigenous peoples deserve the same treatment.  One upon a time cradle Catholics did not like it when a famous actor became Catholic on his death bed and received the same eternal life after one hour that the others would receive after a whole lifetime.

There are many who hear God’s word many hours before others, and God gives to them the same gift of grace, of life, of eternal life.

We are not privileged people because we have followed God the whole day; have privileges only through the grace and gift of God, not for our work.  Those called at the first hour were working to receive eternal life, and those called at the last hour will receive the same eternal life.

God wants all of us to receive eternal life.  It does not matter when we work, but it does matter that we obey the voice of God when God calls.

In the beginning there were men and women.  In the beginning and now God loves and cares for all men and women.  In God there is not beginning and end since, for God, everything is now, the same time.