Back to Church Sunday – Sunday, September 24, 2023

Brothers and Sisters
Today, as we seek to become channels of God’s love to those we are called to serve, we celebrate “Back to Church Sunday” at the Church of St. John the Evangelist.
This is a joyful reminder that no matter how far we may wonder, there’s always a place of blessings, faith and love waiting for us in the hearts of our Church family.
It is the Church Committee’s intention to encourage on-going engagement of members and frequent attendees as well as visitors to check on their welfare and establish a framework for regular contact. Where there is opportunity and relevance, encourage persons who do not physically attend Church on a regular basis, to come and worship. It is anticipated that there will be additional Sundays of this kind in the future. The relationships built and the readiness to respond to the invitations will provide opportunities to enhance spiritual growth of all.
As we worship together today, let’s reflect a bit on today’s Gospel reading.
The call to the Church, through God’s gift of faith and the Sacrament of baptism, is a gift for all of us which we can never sufficiently thank God. If we remain in the vineyard and labour honestly as the gospel reading for today states, and if we cooperate with the actual graces God is continually giving us, we are assured of reaching heaven when our earthly days are ended. By carrying out the duties faithfully and honestly, we are doing the will of God. The greater part of our day and indeed our life, will be taken up with tasks of themselves worldly, but these tasks when done in the state of grace and with the intention of honouring God, have a supernatural value. For this we have to thank God for his goodness and generosity.
Today’s parable should give us new hope and courage. It may be the sixth or the ninth or even the eleventh hour of our life but we can still earn heaven if we listen to God’s call and set to work diligently in his vineyard. If we put our conscience right with God today and resolve to be loyal to him from now on he will be as generous to us, as the parable promises.
Contributed.