By Deborah Castellano Lubov
“God never gives up on us; he is always ready to accept us and give meaning and hope to our lives, however hopeless our situation may seem and however insignificant our merits may appear. ”
Pope Leo XIV gave this comforting reminder during his weekly Wednesday General Audience in the Vatican as he continued his catechetical series on ‘Jesus Christ Our Hope” for the Jubilee Year.
This week, the Pope recalled Jesus’ Parable of the workers of the last hour, in the Gospel passage according to St Matthew, in which the landowner who gives the same wage even to the workers of the eleventh hour, to those who arrived much later than the others, illustrating the Lord’s immense mercy.
In his catechesis, Pope Leo recalled how the workers hired first are disappointed and unable of seeing the beauty of the landowner’s gesture, but, the Pope explained, “He wasn’t unfair, he was simply generous. He didn’t look only at merit, but also at need.”
God wants to give everyone full life
The Parable, the Pope suggested, challenges us to examine what is truly just.
For the owner of the vineyard, “that is, for God,” the Holy Father expressed, justice means that everyone receives what they need in order to live, while likewise observing that He called the workers personally, knows their dignity, and wants to pay them according to that dignity.
God, Pope Leo went on to marvel, wants to give everyone His Kingdom, with “a life that is full, eternal, and joyful.”
“And that,” he highlighted, “is exactly what Jesus does with us: He doesn’t rank us.” And “to anyone who opens their heart to Him,” Pope Leo insisted, “He gives all of Himself.”
In light of this Parable, Pope Leo acknowledged that a Christian nowadays might be tempted to think, “Why start working right away? If the reward is the same, why work more?,” observing that St Augustine responded to these doubt, saying: “Why then do you delay to follow the one who calls you, when you are sure of the reward but uncertain of the day? Be careful not to deprive yourself, through your delay, of what He will give you according to His promise.”
Roll up your sleeves, God won’t disappoint you
Before concluding, Pope Leo said he wished to say something to the faithful, and especially the young people.
“Don’t wait, but respond with enthusiasm to the Lord who calls us to work in His vineyard,” he underscored, adding, “Don’t postpone, roll up your sleeves, because the Lord is generous and you won’t be disappointed!”
God will answer what is the meaning of your life
By working in God’s “vineyard,” Pope Leo XIV underscored, “you will find an answer to that deep question you carry within you: what is the meaning of my life?”
Therefore, the Pope stressed, “let’s not be discouraged! Even in the dark moments of life, when time passes without giving us the answers we seek, let us ask the Lord to come out again and find us where we are waiting for Him,” for “He is generous, and He will come soon!” – Vatican News
