Today the Church invites us to celebrate Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, a monk who lived in the 12th century and who became one of the greatest preachers and teachers of his time. He was born in France in 1090, joined the Cistercians, and later became abbot of Clairvaux. Bernard had a deep love for Christ, especially in His humanity, and for the Blessed Mother. His words were so full of wisdom and sweetness that he was called the Mellifluous Doctor, meaning his words flowed like honey. He worked tirelessly for the renewal of the Church and guided many souls to holiness.
The Gospel today speaks of the workers in the vineyard. Some were hired at dawn, some at noon, and some at the last hour of the day. Yet when evening came, all of them received the same pay. Understandably, those who worked all day grumbled. But the landowner reminds them: “I am not cheating you. You agreed to the usual wage. Am I not free to be generous?”
Here Jesus is teaching us about the Kingdom of Heaven. Eternal life with God is not a wage that we earn by clocking in hours of labour, as though heaven were a salary. Eternal life is a gift freely given. Whether we come to the Lord early in life or only at the last moment, His generosity is the same. The reward is Him—union with God forever.
But this doesn’t make our work in the vineyard meaningless. Quite the opposite! What an honour it is to be called into God’s vineyard at all. To serve Him is itself a privilege. Think of the olive tree, the fig tree, and the vine in our first reading from Judges: each knew the value of the fruit it bore. So too, each of us has a unique way of bearing fruit for the Lord. Whether it’s through prayer, service to our families, care for the poor, or the daily fidelity of Christian living, all of it is precious in the sight of God.
Saint Bernard shows us what happens when someone throws himself fully into the vineyard of the Lord. His life was not easy—he faced many struggles, even controversies—but he found joy in giving himself to Christ completely. That joy is already part of the reward, because the closer we labour with Christ, the more we share in His love even now.
So today, let us not look around comparing our work with others, or worrying about whether we’ve done as much as someone else. Instead, let’s thank God for the chance to be in His vineyard at all. Let’s labour with love, trusting that the reward awaiting us is far greater than anything we can imagine: eternal life with Him.
Saint Bernard, pray for us.
Amen.
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