Daily Readings - Wed Aug 23 2023
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 the nature of leadership, judgment, and God’s generosity. In the first reading from Judges, Jotham’s parable of the trees warns against the dangers of seeking power for selfish reasons. The trees, symbolizing different kinds of leaders, are reluctant to give up their gifts to serve others. Only the bramble, the least noble of the trees, accepts the role of king, but it does so with a warning: those who refuse to rest in its shadow will be consumed by fire. This parable reminds us that true leadership is not about personal gain but about serving others, and that those who lead must do so with humility and justice.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, challenging our human notions of fairness and merit. The workers who toil all day resent the generosity of the landowner, who pays the latecomers the same wage as those who bore the heat. This parable is not about economics but about the kingdom of heaven, where God’s grace is not limited by our efforts or timing. It teaches us to trust in God’s justice and to avoid envy or resentment toward others. The last shall be first, and the first shall be last, not because of their worthiness, but because God’s love is boundless and unpredictable.
These readings call us to examine our own attitudes toward leadership and grace. Do we lead with humility and generosity, or do we seek power for its own sake? Do we trust in God’s providence, even when it seems unfair by human standards? Let us ask for the grace to embrace humility, to serve others without expectation of reward, and to rejoice in the generosity of God, who calls everyone to His kingdom, regardless of when they respond.