I have to say, every time I hear this Sunday’s gospel I think of my grandpa. He is 89 years old, and he is not baptized. I have had conversations with him over the years and he kind of laughs it off and tells me to baptize him before he dies.  I think I’ll keep asking though.

Now, since I’ve been a priest for eight years, I have seen people coming into the Church in the last moments of their lives. I have baptized people right before they died. And again, this gospel comes to mind. I think many of us who have lived the Christian life our whole lives can be filled with the same jealousy that the workers felt in the gospel today.

“These last ones worked only one hour, and you’ve made them equal to us who bore the day’s burden and the heat.”  This is unfair.  What Jesus reminds us of in the story He shares is that it is not unfair. He says, “My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree for me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go.”

We are constantly comparing ourselves with others, calculating everything, yet God does not. He is generous, He is loving, He made us to return back to Him. Our God and Lord did not go through what He went through so that few could be saved. He was generous with His life on the cross.  How could we expect any less from Our Lord?

Here's a picture from our last Holy Hiking adventure at the Gorge Metro Park.  Here’s a list of the remaining hikes….

• September 30 at 11:00am – Canal Fulton Lock 4 Trailhead at Lock 4 Park
• October 7 at 11:00am – Silver Creek Park – Pheasant Run Shelter
• October 14 at 11:00am – Firestone Metroparks Tuscarawas Shelter
• October 21 at 11:00am – No Hiking
• October 28 at 11:00am – Nimisila Reservoir Parking Lot C4

Let’s pray that God will continue to bless us with good weather.

May God’s peace and joy be with you,

Fr. Jeremy