The lives of the saints stand out because they are radiant reflections of God's unimaginable generosity. Like the landowner in the parable, like our Lord, they give without calculating the cost. They reflect God's goodness in their words and deeds because they are constantly filled with that same goodness.
St. Teresa of Calcutta was a great example of this. When she would visit the Missionaries of Charity convents she founded, she would rise early on the last day of her visit and clean all the bathrooms before the rest of the sisters woke up.
Fr. Sebastian Vazhakala, a priest connected to the Missionaries of Charity, describes how he learned Christian generosity from her. He said that one day, he was working at the home for the dying in Kalighat, Calcutta. An ambulance brought in a man whom Fr. Sebastian recognized immediately; he had been to the home several times. He told Mother Teresa there was no reason to take him in again, as he would leave as soon he felt better. He said the man wasn't dying and was taking advantage of their generosity.
Mother Teresa looked at him and said, "Does this man need your help now or not? It does not matter that he was here yesterday or not, or that he is going to come back again tomorrow. We do not have yesterday anymore, nor do we have tomorrow yet; all that we have is today to love God and serve the poor."[1]
That's just a tiny peek at the generosity that constantly abounds from God's heart towards all of us. God's generosity is incredible. However, one of its most amazing expressions is often missed:
The landowner in today's parable gave the workers real work to perform in his vineyard, even if the pay far outweighed the exact amount of work each did.
Jesus does the same thing with us. He lets us make a real contribution to our eternal joy and that of others by loving him, serving others, and building up the Body of Christ on earth. In Jesus, our words, actions, and attitudes toward others have meaning. We are members of his Mystical Body; we are his hands, feet, eyes, and mouth.
In serving others, especially those most in need, we serve Christ and store an eternal treasure in heaven. When we remain faithful to Jesus' teachings even under pressure, humiliation, and the threat of persecution, we glorify God and add to our reward in heaven.
When we help others come closer to Jesus through our words, example, and prayer, we expand the everlasting joys of heaven for them and us. This is the privilege Jesus has generously given us by making us his fellow workers in God's Kingdom.
May we be grateful for this gift and responsibility, and may we seek to fulfill this calling each and every day of our lives.
[1] Vazhakala, Sebastian, Life With Mother Teresa: My Thirty-year Friendship With The Mother Of The Poor, Servant Books, 2004.
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