Daily Readings - Sun Sep 24 2017

Second Reading - Philippians 1.20-24, 27

²⁰by means of my own expectation and hope. For in nothing shall I be confounded. Instead, with all confidence, now just as always, Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death²¹For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain²²And while I live in the flesh, for me, there is the fruit of works. But I do not know which I would choose²³For I am constrained between the two: having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which is the far better thing²⁴but then to remain in the flesh is necessary for your sake²⁷Only let your behavior be worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that, whether I return and see you, or whether, being absent, I hear about you, still you may stand firm with one spirit, with one mind, laboring together for the faith of the Gospel

Gospel - Matthew 20.1-16

Matthew

Chapter 20

¹"The kingdom of heaven is like the father of a family who went out in early morning to lead workers into his vineyard²Then, having made an agreement with the workers for one denarius per day, he sent them into his vineyard³And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace⁴And he said to them, ‘You may go into my vineyard, too, and what I will give you will be just.⁵So they went forth. But again, he went out about the sixth, and about the ninth hour, and he acted similarly⁶Yet truly, about the eleventh hour, he went out and found others standing, and he said to them, ‘Why have you stood here idle all day?⁷They say to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also may go into my vineyard.⁸And when evening had arrived, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last, even to the first.⁹And so, when those who had arrived about the eleventh hour came forward, each received a single denarius¹⁰Then when the first ones also came forward, they considered that they would receive more. But they, too, received one denarius¹¹And upon receiving it, they murmured against the father of the family¹²saying, ‘These last have worked for one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who worked bearing the weight and heat of the day.¹³But responding to one of them, he said: ‘Friend, I caused you no injury. Did you not agree with me to one denarius¹⁴Take what is yours and go. But it is my will to give to this last, just as to you¹⁵And is it not lawful for me to do what I will? Or is your eye wicked because I am good?¹⁶So then, the last shall be first, and the first shall be last. For many are called, but few are chosen.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter profound reflections on trust in God’s plan and the nature of divine generosity. The Second Reading from Philippians reveals Paul’s deep trust in God’s will, whether through life or death. Paul is torn between the desire to be with Christ and the commitment to serve the Philippians, yet he remains steadfast, urging them to live in a manner worthy of the Gospel. His trust in God’s plan is unwavering, a testament to his faith. The Gospel from Matthew presents the parable of the workers in the vineyard, where the landowner’s generosity challenges conventional notions of merit and reward. Despite varying hours of work, all workers receive the same pay, illustrating God’s boundless grace. This parable invites us to reflect on our own attitudes towards fairness and generosity, encouraging humility and recognition of God’s sovereign will. These readings remind us to trust in God’s plan and embrace His generosity with humility. Just as Paul trusted in God’s will, we too can find peace in surrendering to His plan. The parable teaches us that our worth is not measured by earthly standards but by God’s grace. Let us approach life with humility, trusting in His generosity and living in accordance with the Gospel values of love and service.