Heavenly Generosity

~~~ Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~ Isaiah 55:6-9 ~~~ Psalm 145 ~~~ Philippians 1:20C-24, 27A ~~~ 

~~~ Matthew 20:1-16A ~~~

Life and Death...we are caught between the two.
We hold on to life to those we love,
 yet we long to see God to be with God.

I am caught between the two. 
I long to depart this life and be with Christ,
for that is far better. 
Yet that I remain in the flesh
is more necessary for your benefit.

It is difficult to let go of what we know.
While we know what it means to be alive
we also long to be with Christ.
We believe it is much better to be with God
but we don't want to let go.

We get frustrated with the challenges
of everyday life, but it is our life.
We grow into the life we live every day.

While we are confined by our physical limitations
we are also confined to our understanding of the mechanics of life.

The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

We want to believe that the Lord is near to us.
Yet we are challenged because we cannot see the Lord.
We look for signs of his presence...ways that he reveals himself to us.

While we are caught between these two worlds of heaven
 and earth we can magnify the Lord to others.
We can be the face of the Lord to those in need.

The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner...
The kingdom of heaven is open to anyone who is invited to enter.
There is no age limit. There is no prescribed length of time it should take.
There is no amount of money that can secure your entry.
It does not matter when you enter into heaven, the rewards are glorious.
The rewards are incomprehensible, yet this is
precisely what we are longing for...
Our vision of heaven is the reward we are striving toward.

The landowner is our best example of the generosity of God.
So while you are between the two worlds know
that the Lord is near to you.
He wants you to believe that he is near to you.
He wants you to know that there is a place for you in heaven. 

Blessed to be counted among those who seek the Lord.
~~~Peace~~~