Daily Readings - Wed Aug 20 2025
Judges
6Then all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the families of the city of Millo, and they went and appointed Abimelech as king, beside the oak that stood at Shechem7When this had been reported to Jotham, he went and stood at the top of Mount Gerizim. And lifting up his voice, he cried out and said: "Listen to me, men of Shechem, so that God may listen to you8The trees went to anoint a king over themselves. And they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.9And it responded, ‘How could I abandon my fatness, which both gods and men make use of, and depart to be promoted among the trees?10And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and accept royal power over us.11And it responded to them, ‘How could I abandon my sweetness, and my very sweet fruits, and depart to be promoted among the other trees?12And the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.13And it responded to them, ‘How could I abandon my wine, which gives joy to God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?14And all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come and reign over us.15And it responded to them: ‘If truly you would appoint me as king, come and rest under my shadow. But if you are not willing, let fire go forth from the bramble, and let it devour the cedars of Lebanon.’
Matthew
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of leadership and God's justice. In the first reading from Judges, Jotham's parable of the trees warns against the dangers of hasty and self-serving decisions in choosing leaders. The trees, seeking a king, reject the fruitful olive, fig, and vine, only to settle on the thorny bramble. This choice symbolizes the consequences of prioritizing power over wisdom and generosity, leading to division and conflict.
In the Gospel, Matthew's parable of the vineyard workers challenges our understanding of fairness and generosity. The landowner, who represents God, pays all workers the same wage regardless of their hours worked. This provokes grumbling from those who worked longer, but the landowner reminds them that his generosity is not limited by their expectations. The parable underscores the boundless grace of God, who calls each person in different ways and at different times, yet offers the same gift of eternal life to all.
Both readings remind us to trust in God's wisdom and justice. In our daily lives, we may face situations where we feel overlooked or undervalued, but we are called to embrace humility and gratitude. Like the workers in the vineyard, we must avoid envy and instead rejoice in the abundance of God's love. Let us accept God's will with trust, knowing that his ways are not our ways, and that his kingdom operates on the principle of grace rather than merit.