The Laborers in the Vineyard

The Gospel of today deals with the familiar parable of the laborers who went to work in the vineyard at various times of the day but at the end all received the same pay. It is easy to sympathize with the workers who complained after working the full day and receiving the same pay as those who came late. Maybe we look at people who lived a lax or downright immoral faith life but before dying had a conversion and embraced the faith. Of course we should rejoice that they did but again do we often feel a little jealous that they got to have what seemed like fun while we struggled to avoid the sins they were comitting? But in each instance we more often than not view ourselves as belonging to the first group when really we ought to consider that we belong to the second group. We are the ones that have been frittering away the day in idleness when we ought to be truly living our faith. Then we can appreciate the divine mercy of Jesus, who offers us the same reward even though we hardly deserve it.