"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?' Because no one has hired us,' they answered. He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.' (Matthew 20: 1-7)

The kingdom of heaven seeks us out. Do we want to be found?

In many cities and towns there is a place where day laborers gather in order to be found. Employers - especially from the construction and agricultural sectors - fill in their short-term labor needs by arriving early, choosing who they need, transporting those chosen to the work site, and paying in cash.

In the United States most of these day laborers are illegal immigrants, usually recently arrived. They are vulnerable to arrest. When they are hired they are vulnerable to being underpaid or not paid and having no recourse. If they are not hired they are vulnerable to hunger and more.

According to one study, "The price of the work is negotiated between the laborer and the employer... the employers almost always pay more than the federal minimum wage of $5.15/hr, usually at least $6 per hour. The types of work that have the most demand are construction, landscaping and moving/hauling. The worst paying job is landscaping ($6 per hour). The best-paying jobs are construction and electrician, with wages up to $13 per hour. The workers say the most people get hired on Saturdays, but they stress it depends on the week and the weather."

Most have made a perilous journey across the border. They have left home and family. They live as fugitives Each day they awaken early hoping to be chosen.

Very few of us have done half as much to prepare ourselves to be chosen for the kingdom of heaven.

Tomorrow we will continue the parable.