Beloved in Christ,
"Great is the LORD and highly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable" (Ps. 145: 3). The Psalmist's words praising God for his unsearchable greatness took ownership of my mind, thoughts, and spirit as I read through this Sunday's liturgy of the word in preparation for my homily. While the parable of the Lord's Vineyard from the Gospel for this Sunday's Mass from Matthew is outstanding, especially in its emphasis on God's generosity and warning against envy- and demands our reflection- the ultimate disposition of my spirit is to let the words of praise and thanksgiving flow from my lips. Why, you may inquire? I will get to it after dwelling first on the message the Gospel has for us.
The parable of the Lord's Vineyard highlights the contention between workers who put in a full day of labor in sweat and drudgery and those hired at the eleventh hour and worked only for an hour. The vineyard owner paid the same wage, a denarius, to all the workers irrespective of the hours they put into the work. In the human sense of moral justice, the owner's action is unfair. Is God unfair? Absolutely not! God is just. He paid each one what they agreed to receive when hired: "Did you not
agree with me for the usual daily wage?" The grumbling workers do so because of envy, jealousy, and selfishness. The envious workers failed to see, and this is the parable's point, that God's generosity is not a calculated giving and is not merited. God lavishes his grace as he deems fit. Who are we to question or query God on how he dispenses his graces? "What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?" All our good deeds result from God's grace, not human power or capacity. Indeed, as Isaiah says of God, his thoughts are not our thoughts nor are his ways our ways (see Is. 55:8).
In light of this Sunday's Gospel message about grace, I will now return to the verse from Psalm 145 I began this homily with: “Great is the Lord; and highly to be praised.” I invite you to join me in praising the greatness and goodness of the Lord for the gift of my priestly vocation. It will be twenty-six years of my priestly ordination on Wednesday, September 23, 2026! Whatever good that has come from my priesthood all these years is not as a result of my goodness or merit; it is primarily the fruit of God's generosity. God is great indeed!
What a roller coaster it has been, a journey of ups and downs, with its ebb and flow, yet a joyful one. For the last six days or so, I have meditated on the words of St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio) posted on my office door: "My past, O Lord, to Your mercy; my present, to Your love; my future to Your providence." I am a joyful priest; I am filled with joy at God's gracious choice of me from his people. I continue to ask for your continuous prayers and support. "Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and highly to be praised"
I invite you to join me for the 8:00 am daily Mass on Wednesday, to offer thanksgiving to God for His blessings. I also invite you to join me later that day at the National Center of Padre Pio, Barto, PA, where I will concelebrate the Center’s 1:30 pm Mass.
Our Parish’s Picnic comes up next Sunday at 2 p.m. Christ calls us into this one family of St. Peter’s; let's come together to celebrate our oneness and love as we gather to eat, drink, play, dance, and glorify God in all we do. Our contemporary music group, Forgven, will provide lively music for us to enjoy. Please join us in this major parish celebration.
In His Joy,
Fr. Alayode, OP
"Great is the LORD and highly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable" (Ps. 145: 3). The Psalmist's words praising God for his unsearchable greatness took ownership of my mind, thoughts, and spirit as I read through this Sunday's liturgy of the word in preparation for my homily. While the parable of the Lord's Vineyard from the Gospel for this Sunday's Mass from Matthew is outstanding, especially in its emphasis on God's generosity and warning against envy- and demands our reflection- the ultimate disposition of my spirit is to let the words of praise and thanksgiving flow from my lips. Why, you may inquire? I will get to it after dwelling first on the message the Gospel has for us.
The parable of the Lord's Vineyard highlights the contention between workers who put in a full day of labor in sweat and drudgery and those hired at the eleventh hour and worked only for an hour. The vineyard owner paid the same wage, a denarius, to all the workers irrespective of the hours they put into the work. In the human sense of moral justice, the owner's action is unfair. Is God unfair? Absolutely not! God is just. He paid each one what they agreed to receive when hired: "Did you not
agree with me for the usual daily wage?" The grumbling workers do so because of envy, jealousy, and selfishness. The envious workers failed to see, and this is the parable's point, that God's generosity is not a calculated giving and is not merited. God lavishes his grace as he deems fit. Who are we to question or query God on how he dispenses his graces? "What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?" All our good deeds result from God's grace, not human power or capacity. Indeed, as Isaiah says of God, his thoughts are not our thoughts nor are his ways our ways (see Is. 55:8).
In light of this Sunday's Gospel message about grace, I will now return to the verse from Psalm 145 I began this homily with: “Great is the Lord; and highly to be praised.” I invite you to join me in praising the greatness and goodness of the Lord for the gift of my priestly vocation. It will be twenty-six years of my priestly ordination on Wednesday, September 23, 2026! Whatever good that has come from my priesthood all these years is not as a result of my goodness or merit; it is primarily the fruit of God's generosity. God is great indeed!
What a roller coaster it has been, a journey of ups and downs, with its ebb and flow, yet a joyful one. For the last six days or so, I have meditated on the words of St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio) posted on my office door: "My past, O Lord, to Your mercy; my present, to Your love; my future to Your providence." I am a joyful priest; I am filled with joy at God's gracious choice of me from his people. I continue to ask for your continuous prayers and support. "Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and highly to be praised"
I invite you to join me for the 8:00 am daily Mass on Wednesday, to offer thanksgiving to God for His blessings. I also invite you to join me later that day at the National Center of Padre Pio, Barto, PA, where I will concelebrate the Center’s 1:30 pm Mass.
Our Parish’s Picnic comes up next Sunday at 2 p.m. Christ calls us into this one family of St. Peter’s; let's come together to celebrate our oneness and love as we gather to eat, drink, play, dance, and glorify God in all we do. Our contemporary music group, Forgven, will provide lively music for us to enjoy. Please join us in this major parish celebration.
In His Joy,
Fr. Alayode, OP
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