And the gift is given to the only ones who can receive it – to those who respond to their Crucified Saviour by turning their back on the sins he died to save them from and by handing themselves over to him in humble trust and love.

And indeed it was at the Crucifixion itself that this parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard first came true; and a man who turned to Our Blessed Lord at the eleventh hour was given all that the most loyal and lifelong disciple could receive.

In St Luke’s words: “One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’ “ (NRSV, Luke 23: 39-43, our emphasis).

References
1. Wordsworth, W. (1821-1822) Ecclesiastical sonnets XLIII. ‘Inside of King's College Chapel, Cambridge’. Available from: http://www.bartleby.com/145/ww690.html (Accessed 08 June 2018) (Internet).

2. Thomas de Celano (13th century), translated by Irons, W.J. (1812-1883) Day of wrath, O day of mourning. Available from: http://lutheran-hymnal.com/lyrics/tlh607.htm (Accessed June 9th 2018) (Internet).