We all know the parable of the complaining workers, who did not think it was fair that they only received a day's wage, while others who worked less got the same.
I have never heard a priest talk about my thoughts on this passage. Here goes..
Those who work all day should be happy to be working, should be thrilled that people come into the Church with death-bed conversions.
To work all one's life in the Church Militant is a joy, a blessing. One shares work with wonderful people, even saints. I would prefer to work the entire day, as heaven begins on earth, even though it is work.
Those who complain do not love Christ or His Church enough to realize the great honor and joy of working hard for the Kingdom all one's life.
There are saints who suffered and worked for God's Kingdom from little on, or from youth, such as the great Padre Pio, whose feast day is coming up in two days.
He received the visible stigmata at the age of twenty-eight or so, the first priest to receive this grace of suffering. (St. Francis, remember, was never ordained.)
One could consider Padre Pio a saint who worked the entire day for eternal life with God, which is the day's wage.
Other saints came in later on in life, such as St. Ignatius, who was thirty-one when he converted, or St. Augustine, who was baptized at the age of thirty-three.
A word of caution. I have never found a life of a saint with a death-bed conversion. There are many martyrs who were converted watching others being martyred, but martyrdom is instant purification.
Those who die right after after conversion have had no time to live the saintly life.
But, they do get eternal life after purgatory. And, we all should rejoice at their salvation
