Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 24, 2017
Psalm 145
1The Praise of David himself. I will extol you, O God, my king. And I will bless your name, in this time and forever and ever2Throughout every single day, I will bless you. And I will praise your name, in this time and forever and ever3The Lord is great and exceedingly praiseworthy. And there is no end to his greatness4Generation after generation will praise your works, and they will declare your power5They will tell of the magnificent glory of your sanctity. And they will discourse of your wonders6And they will talk about the virtue of your terrible acts. And they will describe your greatness7They will shout about the memory of your abundant sweetness. And they will exult in your justice8The Lord is compassionate and merciful, patient and full of mercy9The Lord is sweet to all things, and his compassion is upon all his works10O Lord, may all your works confess to you, and let your holy ones bless you11They will speak of the glory of your kingdom, and they will declare your power12so as to make known to the sons of men your power and the glory of your magnificent kingdom13Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages, and your dominion is with all, from generation to generation. The Lord is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works14The Lord lifts up all who have fallen down, and he sets upright all who have been thrown down15O Lord, all eyes hope in you, and you provide their food in due time16You open your hand, and you fill every kind of animal with a blessing17The Lord is just in all his ways and holy in all his works18The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth19He will do the will of those who fear him, and he will heed their supplication and accomplish their salvation20The Lord watches over all who love him. And he will destroy all sinners21My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and may all flesh bless his holy name, in this time and forever and ever
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
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.