Daily Readings - Wed Aug 18 2021
Judges
6Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelech king.7When Jotham was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted to them, "Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.8One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, 'Be our king.'9"But the olive tree answered, 'Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and men are honored, to hold sway over the trees?'10"Next, the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come and be our king.'11"But the fig tree replied, 'Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?'12"Then the trees said to the vine, 'Come and be our king.'13"But the vine answered, 'Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and men, to hold sway over the trees?'14"Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, 'Come and be our king.'15"The thornbush said to the trees, 'If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!'
Matthew
1"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard.2He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.3"About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.4He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.'5So they went.6"He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?'7"'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. "He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.'8"When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.'9"The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius.10So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius.11When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner.12'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'13"But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius?14Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you.15Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'16"So the last will be first, and the first will be 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.