Daily Readings - Wed Aug 18 2021
Judges
6And all the leaders of Shechem came together, and all Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem.7When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and cried aloud and said to them, "Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you.8The trees once went out to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, 'Reign over us.'9But the olive tree said to them, 'Shall I leave my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?'10And the trees said to the fig tree, 'You come and reign over us.'11But the fig tree said to them, 'Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?'12And the trees said to the vine, 'You come and reign over us.'13But the vine said to them, 'Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees?'14Then all the trees said to the bramble, 'You come and reign over us.'15And the bramble said to the trees, 'If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'
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 leadership, judgment, and the surprising ways of God. In the first reading from Judges, Jotham’s parable of the trees offers a cautionary tale about the choices we make in selecting leaders. The trees, seeking a king, reject the olive tree, fig tree, and vine—all of which provide nourishment and joy—because they value their own gifts too much to take on the responsibility of ruling. Only the bramble, a thorny and troublesome plant, accepts the role, warning that if the trees are not willing to submit to its rule, it will destroy them with fire. This parable reminds us that leadership can often be a double-edged sword, and those who seek power for the wrong reasons may bring harm rather than prosperity.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, challenging our human notions of fairness and justice. The landowner hires workers at different times of the day, yet pays them all the same wage, regardless of how long they worked. When the first workers complain, the landowner responds by emphasizing his generosity and his right to do as he pleases. This parable upends our expectations, teaching us that God’s ways are not our ways. His kingdom is not about earning rewards based on merit but about receiving His abundant grace freely. It invites us to trust in His goodness and not to judge others based on our own limited understanding.
Both readings call us to reflect on how we relate to God and to one another. The parable of the trees warns us about the dangers of self-serving leadership and the importance of humility. The parable of the laborers reminds us to let go of our need to compare ourselves to others and instead embrace the boundless generosity of God. In our daily lives, we are called to trust in God’s judgment, to be open to His surprises, and to live with gratitude for the gifts He freely gives. May we learn to see the world through the lens of His mercy and to live in harmony with His will.