A Gospel insight

I was struck over the weekend by the appositeness of the Sunday Gospel, the parable of the labourers in the vineyard, to the situation facing Anglo-Catholics in respect of the Ordinariate.

It seems to me that the offer of working in the Lord's vineyard really has come to those who have been waiting around until the eleventh hour. The offer is there, and the promise the same as made to all other toilers therein. This really is the time to accept the offer, and enter in. There is precious little comfort out in the market place waiting for something or someone else to come along with a better offer - indeed the offer is on parity with that made to all others whom the Lord calls. There is no one else who can offer so much and so freely. There is no other offer.

For those already within the vineyard there is the reminder that we all enter with the same expectation, there is no higher reward on offer, so there should not be resentment at latecomers - just be gratefull they are there at last - nor hopes of preferential treatment on the basis of long service - preferential treatment comes for those who excell not by length of service but quality.