Daily Readings - Wed Aug 21 2024
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
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful messages from Ezekiel and Matthew that invite us to reflect on our relationship with God and our responsibilities toward others. Ezekiel's prophecy condemns the shepherds of Israel for their failure to care for their flock, highlighting their self-interest and neglect of the weak and lost. This serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of abandoning our duties to care for one another. Conversely, Matthew's parable of the laborers in the vineyard challenges our understanding of justice and generosity. The landowner's decision to pay all workers equally, regardless of their work duration, illustrates God's boundless mercy and grace, emphasizing that His ways are not our ways.
These readings are interconnected through the theme of God's direct involvement in the lives of His people. Ezekiel shows God stepping in to care for His scattered flock, while Matthew reveals God's generosity that defies human notions of fairness. Together, they call us to humility and trust in God's plan, recognizing that true justice and mercy are rooted in His love.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to embrace our roles as caregivers and stewards, whether in our families, communities, or workplaces. Let us strive to care for others with compassion and humility, trusting in God's plan and rejoicing in His generosity. May we find joy in serving others and trust in God's promise that the last shall be first.