Pope Leo XIV, which this June 8 will fulfill a month of pontificate, said that even in the situations in which “we feel useless, inadequate,” God recalls that all lives are worth and “his desire is to help us discover it.”
“Even when we think we can do little in life, it is always worth it. There is always the possibility of finding a meaning, because God loves our life,” he said during the general audience on Wednesday.
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The Pontiff analyzed in his catechesis the parable of the workers of the vineyard, which appears in Matthew 20, 1-16, and assured that as the owner of the vineyard, the protagonist of this narrative, Jesus “does not establish classifications, but that he donates entirely to the one who opens his heart.”
“For the owner of the vineyard, that is, for God, it is fair that everyone has what is necessary to live. He has personally called the workers, knows his dignity and, depending on her, wants to pay them. And he gives everyone a denarius,” he said.
When reflecting on this parable, the Pope began by putting as an example the workers waiting in the market square that someone hires them to work. A “very appropriate” metaphor to use in today’s world, because the market is “the place of business, where, unfortunately, affection and dignity are also bought and sold, trying to win something.”
The Holy Father spoke like this about the moments in which we can feel not “recognized” or “appreciated” in which there is a risk of “selling us to the highest bidder.”
However, the Lord “reminds us that our life is worth, and his desire is to help us discover it.” For the Pope it is a parable that “gives hope”, because “he tells us that this master goes out several times to look for those who hope to make sense of their lives.”
Thus he quotes the frustration attitude of these day laborers who had stayed in the Plaza del Mercado in the afternoon and “had lost all hope” of being valued and hired by someone.
However, the owner of the vineyard, which appears in the parable, is “tireless” because, according to Leo XIV, “he wants at all costs to give value to the life of each of us” and that is why “it also goes out at five.”
“What is the point of hiring workers only for the last hour of the working day? What is the point of going to work only for an hour? However, even when we think we can do little in life, it is always worth it. There is always the possibility of finding a meaning, because God loves our life,” explained the pontiff.
“For God, it is fair that everyone has what is necessary”
In addition, he reflected on the sense of justice for God, which, when paying, “tells them that it will give them anything fair.”
“For the owner of the vineyard, that is, for God, it is fair that everyone has what is necessary to live. He has personally called the workers, knows his dignity and, depending on her, wants to pay them. And he gives everyone a denarius,” he said.
He then analyzed the response of the workers of the first hour who felt “disappointed” because “they fail to see the beauty of the master’s gesture, which has not been unfair, but simply generous; that he has not looked at only merit, but also the need.”
In any case, he warned the Christians of the temptation to think: “Why start working immediately? If remuneration is the same, why work more?”
Thus, the Pope cited the words of St. Augustine: “Why does it take to follow who calls you, when you are sure of the reward, but uncertain of the day? Take care not to deprive yourself, for your delay, what he will give you according to his promise.”
In this sense, he made a call especially young people to “respond enthusiastically to the Lord who calls us to work in his vineyard.”
“Do not postpone it, get rid, because the Lord is generous and will not disappoint you! Working in his vineyard, you will find an answer to that deep question that you carry inside: what does my life make sense?” He exclaimed.
And finally added: “Dear brothers and sisters, let’s not discourage ourselves! Even in the dark moments of life, when time passes without giving us the answers we are looking for, we ask the Lord to go out again and reach us where we are waiting for him. He is generous and will come soon!”
Victoria Cardiel
Victoria Cardiel is a journalist specialized in social and religious information issues. Since 2013, he has covered all the news of the Vatican for various media, such as the Spanish news agency Europa Press, or the weekly of the Archdiocese of Madrid, Alfa and Omega.