Starting Late

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, 'You, too, go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.' So they went off. He went out again around noon, and around three o'clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o'clock, he found others standing around and said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You, too, go into my vineyard.' "

We are entering the last days of the Year of Faith, which concludes Nov. 24, the feast of Christ the King.

The Year of Faith has given us an opportunity to deepen our relationship with God. Up to this point many of us may have failed to live out this call from the Church. But that doesn't mean it's too late to begin -- even as we approach the eleventh hour of this specially designated year.

In an April homily Pope Francis reminded us that we are all journeying toward the heavenly Jerusalem, "the happy day when we will see the Lord's face, and be with Him forever, in His love."

Our Lord reminds us in Matthew's Gospel quoted above, and in other parts of Scripture, that He welcomes our steps toward Him, even if we start late, even if we falter.

Undoubtedly some late-starters are in Heaven. St. Dismas, the name traditionally given to the good thief who was crucified next to Christ, exemplifies this type of saint. Dismas was a criminal. Yet he asked for God's mercy as he was dying. Jesus' reply: "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

It would be wrong to intentionally procrastinate in setting forth on our journey, to put off God and then presume His mercy. But God always welcomes earnest workers into His vineyard, even when we begin late in the day.

Pope Francis said that the work would be hard at times, quoting Saints Paul and Barnabus: "we must undergo many trials if we are to enter the Kingdom of God." Our Holy Father went on: "The journey of the Church, and our own personal journeys as Christians, are not always easy; they meet with difficulties and trials. These obstacles are part of the path that leads to God's glory, just as they were for Jesus, Who was glorified on the cross; we will always encounter them in life!"

The journey is one of faith and perseverance, the pope said. We must "remain steadfast in the journey of faith, with hope in the Lord. This is the secret of our journey."

Let us begin, even in this late hour in the Year of Faith, toward our eternal destination in Christ!

Inspired by this Year of Faith we will be posting columns like this from Susan Szalewski about exploring and/or deepening our faith. Watch for it on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.