For we must labor to gain heaven. You do not need to work, you say, in order to earn your bread. Very good, but you must work to earn heaven; is not that so? Even if an idle life brought no sin or vice in its train, no special temptations, it still could not lead to heaven. For what is eternal happiness, and to whom is it promised? It is a reward that is given to every one according to his works. “The Son of man shall come in the glory of Iiis Father with His angels,” so says Our Lord in the Gospel of St. Matthew, “and then will He render to every man according to his works.”[1] Heaven is a penny that will not be given to any one unless to him who has labored till evening. “And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward: Call the laborers and pay them their hire;” and then “they received every man a penny.”[2] Therefore the usual excuse is of no avail: if I do nothing, I do no harm. What! no harm? To do nothing is in itself harmful. You have a piece of land which is so hard that it produces no thistles or thorns, or other weeds, but neither does it produce good fruit; is that good land? No. It is worth nothing to you. The heavenly Householder will one day ask us the question that was put to the idlers in the Gospel: “Why, stand you here all the day idle?”[3] He will not say: why stand you here, wicked and unjust people? Why do you hinder others from working? Why do you destroy My vineyard? But: “Why stand you here all the day idle?” “Go you also into My vineyard;”[4] work, or you have no reward to expect. No, I repeat with St. Augustine, never will any one who loves idleness become a citizen of heaven.
Consolation for those who have to work, and exhortation always to make a good use of time. My dear brethren, do we not all wish to go to heaven? Then let us work honestly for it. If the state to which each one is called by Divine Providence does not allow him to occupy himself always with holy things and virtuous works, then at least let him see that the devil never finds him idle, and that the precious time that is given us only that we may gain heaven is not uselessly squandered. Christian tradesmen, and all who must earn your living by honest labor, oh, how fortunate you are in this respect, if you keep from grievous sin and always direct
- ↑ Filius enim hominis venturus est in gloria Patris sui, cum angelis suis; et tunc reddet unicuique secundum opera ejus.—Matt. xvi. 27.
- ↑ Cum sero autem factum esset, dicit dominus vineæ procuratori suo: voca operarios, et redde illis mercedem: et acceperunt singulos denarios.—Ibid. xx. 8, 9.
- ↑ Quid hic statis tota die otiosi?—Ibid. 6.
- ↑ Ite et vos in vineam meam.—Ibid. 7.
