I have here a column that I read as regularly as I can. I don't want to say much more than that, I just want to hear some input. Praise it, tear it up, do whatever you want, but let's hear it. I've got a couple things I'd like to say, but I want to see if anyone else sees what I do, or if I'm just stupid.

I don't know about you all, but this parable about the workers in the vineyard has always [been] a tough one for me to swallow. There just doesn't seem to be any fairness in it. And, as we all know, "fairness" is what it's about in the United States these days. Ever after the Gospel, when we say, "Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!" many of us think, "I do give praise to Jesus Christ but it still isn't fair!" It's so easy for us, isn't it, to identify with the workers who've worked all day long in the hot sun? You see, the main stress of the parable isn't on the early workers. It's on the latecomers and the boss. And, aren't we fortunate that our God is like that; generous and compassionate in His love for us? After all, whether we want to believe it or not, all of us are latecomers too, aren't we? So, let me ask you this. Are you sure that you'd want God to judge you with fairness? Or, would you prefer that He judge you with mercy? Instead of these attitudes, God tells us that He doesn't want us even trying to earn our way into heaven because none of us, not one, can do it. Not St. Anthony the hermit who served God faithfully for 105 years. Not St. Agnes of Rome who was martyred at age 13. Not St. Francis of Assisi or Mother Teresa. Compared to these saints, how do you think that you stack up? Do you still think that you're not a latecomer? This is why God is so great. He doesn't want people strutting around saying, "Look at all that I've done for God." No, God's kingdom is His free gift to us. All we can do is love and trust. Love God and our neighbor and trust that He will give us all the graces that we will ever need toward our salvation. Perhaps the best way to look at how this parable relates to us is this. All that is good in us is ours, not by right but is a free gift of God. But, all this is possible only because so much has been given to us: life itself, a good mind, a heart to beat with Christ's love, to love where others hate. All of these things and so much more are pure gifts, not rewards. So, today, let's rethink our ideas about fairness. Let's change our ways of thinking until we're no longer upset with God's generosity and mercy. We have to remember that God's ways are not our ways and God's thoughts are not our thoughts. Our challenge is to let God be God. It would be a lot better for all of us.