Wednesday August 21, 2024

20th Week in Ordinary Time

A Generous God

Introduction

After the fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel criticizes the kings who have led the people into their misery as bad shepherds. They should have pastured the people in the name of God, and not played politicians.

The parable of the laborers in the vineyard tells us, contrary to what we often hear, that God is not a bookkeeper. Of course, he loves those who lead exemplary Christian lives. But in his heart, there is also room for the stragglers and latecomers as well as for the pioneers. God loves us and is generous to us, not because we are good but because he is good.

Opening Prayer

God, you are high above us
and get nearer to us
than we are to ourselves;
you hate evil and yet you give a chance
to people who fail;
you know us as we are
and still you love us.
Teach us your surprising ways,
that your thoughts may become ours
and that we may generously share
with those around us all the good gifts
and the life you have given us
in the generosity of your heart,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Reading 1: Ezekiel 34:1-11

The word of the Lord came to me:
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel,
in these words prophesy to them to the shepherds:
Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the shepherds of Israel
who have been pasturing themselves!
Should not shepherds, rather, pasture sheep?
You have fed off their milk, worn their wool,
and slaughtered the fatlings,
but the sheep you have not pastured.
You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick
nor bind up the injured.
You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost,
but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally.
So they were scattered for the lack of a shepherd,
and became food for all the wild beasts.
My sheep were scattered
and wandered over all the mountains and high hills;
my sheep were scattered over the whole earth,
with no one to look after them or to search for them.

Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
As I live, says the Lord GOD,
because my sheep have been given over to pillage,
and because my sheep have become food for every wild beast,
for lack of a shepherd;
because my shepherds did not look after my sheep,
but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep;
because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I swear I am coming against these shepherds.
I will claim my sheep from them
and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep
so that they may no longer pasture themselves.
I will save my sheep, 
that they may no longer be food for their mouths.

For thus says the Lord GOD: 
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.

Responsorial Psalm 23:1-3A, 3B-4, 5, 6

(1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness will follow me
all the days of my life; 
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Alleluia Heb 4:12

Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
able to discern the reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o'clock,
he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.'
So they went off. 
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o'clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o'clock,
he found others standing around, and said to them,
'Why do you stand here idle all day?'
They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.'
He said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard.'
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
'Summon the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with the first.'
When those who had started about five o'clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,
but each of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
'These last ones worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us,
who bore the day's burden and the heat.'
He said to one of them in reply,
'My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?'
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last."

Intercessions

– That Christians may contribute to our world a sense of giving out of pure generosity and goodness and a sense of celebration, we pray:

– That in our communities everyone may be accepted as he or she is; that we may not exclude any one from our love and that we may learn to forgive everyone, we pray:

– That those who are jobless, sad or bitter because they think they are useless and nobody needs them, that we may give them the chance to contribute to the good of society, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Generous Father,
in these signs of bread and wine
you give us, weak and tired as we sometimes are,
your Son as our companion.
We open ourselves to his strength and love.
May he help us in the heat of the day
to bear the burdens of our struggles
and to seek your will in all we do.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Generous Father,
in this Eucharist we have experienced again
that life and all that we are
is nothing else than a gift from you.
May the demanding word of your Son
stir us to accept and serve our neighbor
as you have accepted and loved us
without any merit on our part.
And may the body of your Son sustain us
to put your word into practice.
We ask you this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Blessing

We have looked at God today as an unbelievably good God. For God, every person is valuable, also the weak and those we consider good for nothing. Everyone counts. May almighty God bless you all, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Commentary

A Greater Justice

This parable does cause heartburn for many who find the act of the landowner unjust. But perhaps he is teaching us a greater justice. Imagine the scenario: here are some workers waiting to be picked up for job in the market place. We go out in the morning to choose some from them. Whom do we choose? The young, the fit, and the healthy. The old, the sick, and the handicapped are left out. Hence, when the landowner of the vineyard goes out at the eleventh hour, they are still there, and he chooses them. Knowing fully well that they have a family to feed and needs to meet, he pays them generously; and pays them first – for, being old, sick, or handicapped, they might take longer time to reach home! Those laborers who worked the whole day received exactly what they had agreed for as well. Jesus leaves us a clue at the beginning as to what to expect in the Kingdom – a deeper justice anointed with compassion.

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21 August 2024

Matthew 20: 1-16 

Everything is Grace

The parable of the ‘day labourers’ in the vineyard illustrates two key aspects of the Kingdom of God. Firstly, God invites everyone to work for his Kingdom, regardless of the hour at which they are called. Secondly, God intends to reward everyone equally with eternal life. The parable emphasises that God actively seeks out individuals to join His Kingdom and lovingly includes everyone in His plan.

Pope Francis urges the Church to go out to the peripheries and offer them the Word of salvation, in the same way, that God always goes out in search of his people because He is a Father and loves. The Church must take guard against falling ill by remaining indoors and, instead, risk the possibility of "accidents" by venturing out to spread the Gospel.

The apparent “injustice” of the owner serves to provoke the listeners. But, Jesus is not speaking about a fair wage to the workers, but about the Kingdom of God! There are no unemployed people in God’s Kingdom! Everyone is called to do their part, and there will be a reward for everyone. God’s reward is not based on the quantity or the excellence of your work; but rather, it is a free gift. God always provides the highest reward and gives it in full – that we may have life, life in its fullness! 

The Gospel emphasises the importance of grace in our lives and salvation. It highlights the idea that God's grace goes beyond what we deserve, and those who try to understand God through reasoning may find themselves at a disadvantage. Overall, the text emphasizes the concept of grace as a significant aspect of God's relationship with his beloved children.

 Everything is Grace - Youtube