ALL SAINTS MARGARET STREET

17th Sunday after Trinity, 2005

Fr Ivan Aquilina

We are called to be disciples. Discipleship is not only the cosy moments when we sit at the feet of our Master in the bosom of the Church. The other side of discipleship is our witness. It is faith in action, living out what we accumulate in the learning moments or as the great Aquinas puts it, contemplata et contemplarii aliis tradere: we share with others the fruit of our contemplation: a constant move between the cosy moment to the busy environment. Christian Witness means living a life that mirrors that of Jesus. It means communicating the Gospel to the present generation. To live the life of Jesus and to communicate the Gospel implies knowing Jesus and His Gospel. We achieve this in the cosy moments of intimacy with Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, in prayer, in meditation and in study. However, we do this as a means to achieve our end: the salvation of souls. Now souls are saved by preaching and teaching but above all else they are saved by example, by our witness.

There are different models of witness. Today our readings grapple with this fact and show that God works through and in spite of our different temperaments and characters. I have met many people who say to me that they are upset as they think that they do not have what it takes to be real witnesses. They see themselves as backbenchers who willingly support the front liners generally taken to be the clergy. All of us, ordained and lay, are called to witness as all are called to be disciples.

Today we are presented with three different models of witness: Jonah, S Paul and the workers of the vineyard.

Jonah: God summons Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach repentance. He does not think so. He decides that the best thing to do is to run away, so he gets the equivalent of easyjet.com and goes to more tranquil surroundings. Through dramatic scenes of Jules Verne proportions Jonah finds himself in the place that God has chosen for him. Jonah reluctantly gives in as he has no other option and preaches repentance either through the megaphone shouting of you are a sinner or a winner of the Oxford Street style or more likely through quiet side streets. God can work through Jonah and the city is saved even though Jonah thinks that it shouldn’t. The mercy and love of God can work through all the walls that Jonah was putting up. Jonah sounded like the more familiar: Oh I do not have what it takes, I would really want to do it but I am sure you can find someone better. If God is allowed in just as Jonah reluctantly allowed him, God works marvels. If God saved a big city through reluctance what can He do through willingness? God will do marvellous things if we say “Yes”.

Paul: This apostle never does things by half. If he is a persecutor than he persecutes with all his might, if he is an apostle than he is one of the most passionate followers and witnesses of our Divine Master. He is so intimate with our Lord that he says to us today: For me to live is Christ. The zeal of Paul, his endless supply of energy is taken up by God. He can work both through Jonah and through Paul. Paul is also tempted to run away, not like Jonah to another country but to our heavenly city where he can dwell with God for ever. But Paul knows that there is a Gospel to proclaim and that he must suffer just like his Master before entering glory. Paul says “Yes” and God works through him just as He will work through us if only we open the door. And what God did through Paul we all know.

The vineyard workers: The parable of today takes place in the job centre. At the time of Jesus harvest was a very busy season and every pair of hands was not simply welcomed but sought after. Those who were not in fixed employment, the poor, used to go to a particular square and sit there until an employer summons them. The wage of a whole day was one denarius that meant that the family could eat for that day. If nobody summoned the worker than he would know that the children have to sleep on an empty stomach. Jesus uses this human condition to explain that God will find justice for every person, whatever time of the day God summons, even if it is the eleventh hour, He will give what is necessary for those whom he have called as for Him those who had been at it all the day and those who came in last minute are all equal. It also tells us that God can work through those who do not have the necessary skills, those who are not considered to be much, as long as they wait on God and are available God will summon and use. If we wait on God willingly then He will equip us with all the gifts that are needed. This section of the Gospel also teaches us that people are called at different times of the day: all Christians are called to the vineyard but all have a different task.

If starting from scratch or if you have been a witness for a long time it does not matter, during this week ask God to enable us to serve Him by being witnesses to His son. Remember: the last will be first, and the first last.