Welcome to the latest edition of the weekly Say Yes to Holiness newsletter—designed to help inspire, encourage and accompany you on the path towards holiness.
Welcome to the 25th week of Ordinary Time, but if you are living in the United States, this week is going to be FAR from ordinary as the beatification of Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen will be happening this Thursday in St Louis—and I will have the privilege of being there!
In recognition of this happening within the Church, I have selected quotes from the work of Fulton Sheen to help us dive deeper into this week’s Gospel and to be inspired, encouraged and accompanied on our journey together.
So, first, the words sahred by Jesus in Sunday’s parable—“You too go into my vineyard.”
This is the directive from the owner of the vineyard to everyone—those who began early in the morning, others who strted at nine, noon, and three. And finally, to those who arrive when there is barely an hour of daylight remaining.
But what struck me was how it was that the landowner keeps going out. Again. And again. And again. And again. He’s always on the lookout for people to invite to go into his vineyard, and he doesn’t care whether they can work for eight, six, four, or less than two hours.
But then at the end of the day, he does something even more radical, and it completely upsets any ideas we might have about fairness—the owner gives everybody the same wage! Understandably, those who had all day are upset, and grumble about how they surely deserve more than those who only worked part of the day!
Yet the landowner responds with a question that all of us need to consider—“Are you envious because I am generous?” The owner (God) is challenging us to think differently about grace, justice, generosity, and God’s call. Instead of calculating, the Lord is inviting us to give. Rather than comparing, the Lord wants us to invite and to not consider who might deserve what, because God just wants to pour out His grace. But the biggest lesson is that like God, we need to never tire of going into the marketplaces of our lives looking for people whom we can invite into the Lord’s vineyard.
How especially appropriate that this message is shared with us at the beginning of the week prior to the beatification of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen in St. Louis. Fulton Sheen spent decades proclaiming Christ through his preaching, writing, radio, and television shows. He, too, never tired of inviting others into the Lord’s vineyard, and partially because of that, this great American evangelist will formally be recognized as one of the Blesseds of the Church.
So, let the wisdom of Fulton Sheen continue to guide us as our Food for the Head, Heart, Hands and Feet so that it may inspire, encourage, and accompany us in receiving God's grace with humility, resisting comparison, practicing generosity, and answering His invitation to labor in His vineyard as we continue on our journey towards holiness…
Food for the Head
"Patience is power. Patience is not an absence of action; rather it is ‘timing’—it waits on the right time to act, for the right principles and in the right way.” — Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Why do you think the landowner keep returning to the marketplace? Why did he not just hire everybody first thing in the morning? Well, Jesus doesn’t tell us. But maybe that was part of the point to help illustrate that God’s timing is God’s timing.
Some folks encounter Christ early in life, while others only find Him after years of searching. Same goes for those who discover their vocation when they are young while others might spend decades wondering what God wants them to do.
Same thing with prayer. Some prayers seem to appear to be answered immediately, while other prayers take years. Now, during that waiting, it can be easy to assume that nothing is happening, but Archbishop Sheen reminds us otherwise. Because patience is not passivity. Rather, patience is all about trusting that God is working even when we can’t see what He is doing.
The workers hired late in the day might have spent hours wondering whether anyone would ever choose them. Until the landowner arrived and told them, “You too go into my vineyard.” They had not been forgotten. Not has God forgotten about us—even if it might seem that way at the moment.
So, strive for patience in the midst of whatever situation you may find yourself as you remember that God has not forgotten you.
This week, resolve to identify one area where you have become impatient with God's timing. Instead of trying to force an answer, pray each day, “Lord, help me trust Your timing and recognize what You are asking of me today.”
Food for the Heart
"Humility is dependence on God as pride is independence of Him. The humble soul is always the thankful soul.” — Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
We might think that the issue Jesus is pointing out is only about generosity. But it’s really about comparison.
The workers hired first thing in the morning were perfectly content with getting the daily wage—until they saw that others were getting what they were getting without having to work all day. Now, instead of seeing that they had enjoyed the blessing of a job for the day, they now resented the work they had agreed to do. Their blessing now seemed like a curse.
How often do we do the same? We are grateful for our gifts until we notice the gifts that someone else has. Or we are satisfied with the opportunities we have until someone else receives something that we wanted. Or we are only thankful for God’s blessings until someone who swe perceive deserves them less receives more of them.
The pattern is that comparison will always turn gratitude into resentment.
But Fulton Sheen points out how humility can change the equation because a humble person recognizes that everything is grace. Through humility, you see that your talents and opportunities are all gifts. You can see that your vocation is a gift. You realize that even your ability to work in God’s vineyard is a gif.
So instead of asking why someone received what they received, instead you aks yourself how you might thank God for what has been received. You are no longer comparing yourself to others, but simply grateful for all that you have and are.
That is the freedom that comes of humility.
This week, resolve that whenever you are tempted to compare yourself with someone else, resolve to immediately thank God for one grace He has given you and one grace you see Him giving that other person.
Food for the Hands
“You must remember to love people and use things, rather than to love things and use people.” — Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
The complaining workers reduced everything to a transaction. They worked x, therefore they should receive y. Too often, we go through life this way, don’t we? We reduce everything to a transaction, including the things that can not be measured like goodness, kindness, generosity, friendship, and love. And because of it, we end up poorer.
Because economics is no way to live. Praise God, Jesus gives us the key to seeing things as more than economics. Instead, He invites us to see people. People who need work and purpose. Folks who need the dignity of being invited into the vineyard. Of people who need enough to truly live.
The Kingdom of God cannot be reduced to a transaction, and neither can our relationships. Because people are not instruments to be used for advancement, comfort, status, productivity, success, or wealth. Rather, people are to be loved.
This is what generosity requires. Generosity demands that we stop trying to figure out what we will get in return, and instead start by asking what we can give. And all of us can give our time, attention, encouragement, compassion and forgiveness. We can share our resources along with a listening ear and a helping hand.
The example of the landowner’s generosity disrupted the way everyone around him was thinking and perceiving the people that He had invited to go into His vineyard.
Our generosity towards others should strive to do the same.
This week, resolve to perform one deliberately generous act for someone who cannot repay you—and don't tell anyone about it.
Food for the Feet
"If you do not live what you believe, you will end up believing what you live.” — Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
“You too go into my vineyard.” This invitation by the landowner, is the same invitation that the Lord give sto each of us, and eventually, His invitation requires a response.
You might know Scripture, or understand Catholic teaching, or go to daily Mass, or know all about the saints, or say that Jesus is Lord. But sooner or later, you have to go into the vineyard. And this is why Fulton Sheen tells us that if you don’t live what you believe, you’ll end up believing what you live instead.
Archbishop Sheen’s life exemplifies what he meant. Fulton Sheen did not simply proclaim the Gospel by his voice, he proclaimed it by his life. Although he used the emerging media of his time to carry Christ beyond church walls and into people’s homes, and in the process became one of the best-known Catholic communicators of the twentieth century, his entire public apostolate rested upon a deeply prayerful life, especially a commitment to a daily Eucharistic Holy Hour.
Faith must eventually acquire hands and feet, and this is what Fulton Sheen’s apostolate showed. He believed every person possessed dignity, and his behavior demonstrated it—just like ours needs to as well.
Therefore, if we believe forgiveness matters, then we must forgive. If we believe the poor matter to God, then they must matter to us. If we believe Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, then that reality should shape our priorities by our spending time with Him every day. And if we believe that God has called us into His vineyard, then we eventually we have to start working.
This week, resolve resolve to identify one belief you profess but are struggling to consistently live, and ask God for the grace to take one concrete action that will bring your life more closely into alignment with what you profess.
Just like Archbishop Sheen, the importance of spending time before Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration can not be overemphasized. His daily Holy Hour was foundational to his spiritual life and ministry, and Eucharistic adoration will be a part of the official celebrations surrounding his beatification this week. Therefore, consider spending time before the Blessed Sacrament this week—even if only for fifteen minutes—and ask Jesus one simple question: “Lord, where are You calling me to work in Your vineyard?” Then listen. One of the most beautiful ways to do this is while pryaing the Rosary. A favorite rosary podcast of mine is the Daily Rosary podcast by the School of Faith.
Exhortation
“Evil may have its hour, but God will have His day.” — Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Something else to consider from the parable is about the workers who had yet to be hired by the edn of the day. They could have given up because the opportunity seemed to have passed. They could have thought that no one needed or wanted them. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day. But then the landowner appeared and told them, “You too go into my vineyard.”
For me, I think this is one of the most hopeful messages in the entire parable because it reminds us that it is never too late to answer God’s call.
It’s not too late after failure, or sin, or maybe after years away from the Church. It doesn’t matter if you might have chosen the wrong path, or wasted opportunities, or believe that your most fruitful years are behind you. With God, there is always an invitation—and that is the great hope that Archbishop Sheen spent his life proclaiming.
The reality that Jesus Christ has already won the victory.
It might appear that evil is more powerful, or that injustice may rule the day. Or that our personal failures might seem insurmountable.
But none of them gets the final word.
God does.
Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s beatification gives us an opportunity this week to not simply celebrate his life, but to also ask ourselves, What am I doing with my life?
God is still calling. He is still giving grace. He is still inviting workers. But most epsecially, God is still astonishing in His generosity.
So stop comparing yourself to others, and be grateful.
Seek to be generous and trust in God’s timing.
Live what you believe, so that when you hear God say, “You too go into my vineyard,” you’ll be ready to go.
So, regardless of whether it is the first hour or the eleventh, answer the call by doing WHATEVER IT TAKES to receive God’s grace with humility, rejoice in His generosity toward others, and faithfully labor wherever He calls us in His vineyard, trusting that evil may have its hour, but God will have His day, so that together we can tell the Master of Death, “NOT TODAY!”
All the best,
Christina
PS—If you haven’t already, go check out my new book, Solving the Parish Puzzle: One Person, One Disciple, One Leader at a Time is now available for purchase on Amazon.
Below are the Latest Happenings In the Say Yes to Holiness Community!
I will be in St Louis this week at Fulton Sheen’s Beatification!
If you are going to be there, PLEASE reach out via email— christinasemmens@gmail.com—I would love to connect with you in person!
Both the Say Yes to Holiness and The Catholic Leadership Puzzle podcasts are now available on Fio!
Fio is a platform with a plethora of Catholic podcasts and music options. I invite you to go and check it out by accessing it through my podcast links below:
Check out my christinasemmens.com website and download some of the free resources.
Some of the FREE resources include a Spiritual Wellness Assessment, List of Recommended Books for Spiritual Reading, and a Rule of Life Planner Sheet.
This website is also where I blog and where you can learn more about working with me or learning more about spiritual direction. If you are interested, make sure to sign up for a FREE 20 minute consultation. Hope to hear from you soon!
Finally, if you would like to support my work, you can click the link below and subscribe to the Say Yes to Holiness Substack.
Latest Posts on the Women of the New Evangelization (WINE) blog:
Mercy, Peace and Exultation (April 12)
Harden Not Our Hearts (Mar 9)
Guest appearance on the Equipcast Podcast:
"When God Asks, How Do You Answer?: The Power of 'Yes' with Christina Semmens
Articles on the Catholic365.com Platform:
Recognizing the Path to Life
We Are All Eucharistic Missionaires!
Latest episode of the Say Yes to Holiness podcast...
Episode #266
“9/11, Fulton Sheen, Faith, Freedom and Liberty”
Subscribe to the Say Yes to Holiness podcast!
You can listen to the latest episodes of the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere else you listen to podcasts.
You can also watch the podcast on the Say Yes to Holiness YouTube channel
Click Here to Check Out All the Podcast Episodes
The Say Yes to Holiness YouTube Channel
Episode #265
“America’s Saint-Venerable Fulton Sheen”—1:1 Conversation with Dr. Peter Howard, President, Fulton Sheen Institute
In addition to podcasts, you can also find additional content like the Lenten Book Online Retreat—”Rooting Out Hidden Faults” by Father James McElhone on YouTube—Click here to be taken to the playlist
Update from The Catholic Leadership Puzzle
Now that Solving the Parish Puzzle: One Person, One Disciple, and One Leader at a Time has been released (and is available for purchase at Amazon), I have just started a NEW PODCAST SERIES that highlights different topics covered in the book by having conversations with a variety of guests.
The next in the series was just released, and the topic this time around was HOSPITALITY. My guest on the Catholic Leadership Podcast was Richard McCorry, Author of Company's Coming: A Spiritual Process for Creating More Welcoming Parishes.
The Power of Hospitality: Insights from Richard McCorry
If you have yet to pick up a copy of Solving the Parish Puzzle: One Person, One Disciple, One Leader at a Time, I encourage you to do so, especially in light of all the wonderful reviews it has received. And if you do already have a book, please consider posting a review on Amazon—every review matters!
And if you are looking for more SPP book resources and content, you can find it at The Catholic Leadership Puzzle Substack.