Daily Readings - Wed Aug 22 2018
Ezekiel
1The word of the LORD came to me:2"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep?3You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep.4The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them.5So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts.6My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.7"Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:8As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep,9therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:10Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.11"For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out.
Matthew
1"For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.2After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.3And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,4and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.'5So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same.6And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?'7They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too.'8And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.'9And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.10Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius.11And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house,12saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.'13But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?14Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you.15Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?'16So the last will be first, and the first last."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on God’s justice, mercy, and the call to humility. In the first reading from Ezekiel, we hear a powerful rebuke of the shepherds of Israel who failed to care for God’s people. Ezekiel speaks on behalf of the Lord, condemning those who prioritized their own interests over the well-being of the flock. The shepherds neglected the weak, the sick, and the lost, ruling with harshness instead of compassion. This passage serves as a stark reminder that leadership is not about self-serving power but about serving others with love and care. God promises to intervene, seeking out His scattered flock and restoring them, for He is the true Shepherd who cares for His people.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, challenging our notions of fairness and reward. The landowner hires workers at different times of the day, yet pays them all the same wage. When the early laborers complain, the landowner reminds them that His generosity is not limited by human notions of fairness. This parable underscores the boundless mercy and grace of God, who calls everyone to His kingdom, regardless of when they respond. It also calls us to humility, warning against envy or resentment toward others. The last shall be first, and the first shall be last, for God’s ways are not our ways, and His love is not constrained by our expectations.
Together, these readings remind us that our relationship with God is not about earning rewards but about trusting in His goodness. Like the shepherds in Ezekiel, we are called to care for one another, especially the vulnerable. And like the laborers in the vineyard, we are invited to embrace humility and gratitude, recognizing that God’s grace is a gift, not something we can earn. Let us strive to live with hearts open to His mercy, trusting in His plan, and serving others with love.