The work in the vineyard of the Lord is not for the faint of heart. It is not an easy task. Rather it is a difficult work with a couple of moments of relief but mostly with struggles along the way. The devil does not attack those who already doing his work, so things apparently seem to be okay, but the devil attacks those who want to change direction and embrace the call to work in the vineyard. However, few want to work to the vineyard because it entails emptying of self so that God may fill with
grace the emptiness of our lives. Many are quick to say, “Lord, send me. I will go.” They may be eager to go but once they realize that it is going to be a laborious way of life they take back their word. Others perhaps will only apparently say yes to the call of the Lord, but at the hour when they are needed, they are nowhere to be found. They only pretended to accept the call to impress others but, in their hearts, they knew they were not going to change. It was all an outward show, called vainglory. Others just have an attitude problem. By any request of the Lord, they feel aggravated. Still others have a general negative attitude toward life. It’s not fair. It is the cry of the spoiled child, but it may also be the cry of many adult men and women when they are faced with difficult circumstances in life they do not like and blame God for everything wrong in their lives. They have no space to even attempt to answer the call, they are and will always be victims of the circumstances.
    The readings are about commitment. They ask of us to keep our word. When we say yes to the call of the Lord, we cannot then take it back. The Lord in another instance of the Gospel reminds us that when we say yes, it must stay a yes. The work of salvation is difficult but those who seek to preserve their lives will lose them. If a person wants to keep following his or her own interest in life and play with the Lord by saying one thing but doing another, they will face the consequence of their actions in the final judgement. God is not a pushover (not to say another
word) to be played. We may think we are outsmarting God, but we will be ruined by our own folly. The call of the Lord to go to the vineyard is there, our salvation depends on the how we respond. There is room for change, but to change to God, heed his call and keep his will.