“These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us.” // Matthew 20:12
My daughter and I spent her junior year reading and discussing Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy for her homeschool literature course. In this poetic trilogy, Dante journeys through hell, purgatory, and finally Heaven. He meets many souls, each sharing a lesson about how their lives led them to a final destination separated from or remaining in God’s love.
A major theme throughout is the soul’s search for God. As I think back on it, I think Dante also revealed—intentionally or not—something about the mystery of God’s love and mercy. (As an educated Catholic poet, his writing reflects his knowledge of the theology of his day and traditions of the Church.)
Certain souls found God late in life, yet they (in Dante’s portrayal) progressed towards union with God quicker than others. One question my daughter and I grappled with in Dante’s poem was, “Why are some souls so close to God when much of their lives looked anything but holy?”
That question reminds me of the workers in the parable, who grumbled, “These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us” (Matthew 20:12). Apply that complaint to the spiritual life and it sounds like, “Lord, these people only turned to You in their last hours, and You have elevated them to a level of holiness like us who served You for our entire lives.”
I think the answer lies in God’s abundant mercy. Mysterious to us but perfect in His plan, God distributes His mercy freely. While we still have breath, we have time to seek the Lord. He will welcome us with open arms and the fullness of His mercy.
It is never too late, sister. Like the workers who wandered in for a job at day’s end and received full wages, any time we turn back to the Lord, His mercy will be complete. He will draw us nearer, as with the souls Dante met in The Divine Comedy.
Today, let’s pray in gratitude for God’s abundant mercy. Holy Spirit, return our hearts to God. May we rejoice in others’ conversions and in God’s generous gift to us all.
Gina Fensterer is a wife of 20 years and mother of six children. She is passionate about finding God in the ordinary moments of her vocation. She loves Adoration, praying with Scripture, long morning walks, and fitness. Gina homeschools her school-age children and runs a small shop with products designed to encourage women seeking holiness in their ordinary lives. She was a contributing author to And Hay Became Holy and our children's devotional prayer book called Rise Up. Find out more about her here.
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