Daily Readings - Wed Aug 20 2025
Judges
6And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.7And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.8The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.9But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?10And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.11But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?12Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.13And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?14Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.15And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
Matthew
1For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.2And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.3And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,4And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.5Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.6And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?7They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.8So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.9And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.10But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.11And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,12Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.13But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?14Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.15Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?16So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few 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.