Daily Readings - Sun Sep 24 2023
Isaiah
6Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.7Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.8"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.9"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Philippians
20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.27Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel
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
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on God's boundless generosity and the call to live with faith and trust in His plan. The first reading from Isaiah urges us to seek the Lord while He is near, emphasizing His mercy and the higher ways of God. This call to repentance reminds us that turning away from sin opens us to receive His forgiveness and grace.
The second reading from Philippians finds Paul expressing a deep longing to be with Christ while acknowledging the importance of his mission. He encourages the Philippians to live in a manner worthy of the Gospel, standing firm in their faith. This passage highlights the balance between desiring eternal life and faithfully serving God's purpose here on earth.
The Gospel parable in Matthew challenges our notions of fairness and reward. The landowner's generosity to all workers, regardless of their hours, illustrates God's grace and the truth that the last shall be first. This parable teaches us to trust in God's plan, which often surpasses our understanding, and to be open to His unexpected ways of bestowing blessings.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to embrace God's ways, live faithfully, and trust in His generosity. Let us seek the Lord with repentant hearts, live out our faith with courage, and remain open to the surprising ways God works in our lives. May we find joy in His plan and trust in His abundant grace.