Ordinary Time, 25th Sunday (A) The workers in today's Gospel are not grateful for the gifts they have received because they compare themselves to others. In the same way, we are often not grateful for the gifts God gives us. We Christians have received amazing gifts. Not one of us is good enough to go to heaven. Why? Because Heaven is a gift.

We can't earn a free gift; you just have to receive it. In the same way, none of us is good enough to go to Heaven, because heaven is a free gift. God gives it freely to His children. We are like orphans who have been adopted as children of God. An orphan cannot earn adoption, but he or she can be expected to live up to the new family they have received. In the same way, we have been adopted as God's children. We didn't earn it, but we do have to live like it. We have to behave as children of God.

We often ask God for all kinds of things: health, wealth, toys, good weather... How often have you asked God for a deeper relationship with Him? The best gift God has to give is Himself, but it's often the last gift we really want. Sometimes God takes away our toys and things so that we can realize how worthless they are compared to Him. God wants to give us himself. Are we willing to receive His gift?

(18 Sep 2011)