DAILY- HOMILY

17 August 2016

Wednesday, 20th Week in Ordinary Time

Green.          

Ez 34:1 – 11 / Mt 20:1 – 16

Gospel Reading: Mt 20: 1- 16

Jesus said, "This story throws light on the kingdom of heaven. A landowner went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay the workers a salary of a silver coin for the day, and sent them to his vineyard.       

"He went out again at about nine in the morning, and seeing others idle in the square,  he said to them: 'You, too, go to my vineyard and I will pay you what is just.' So they went.

"The owner went out at midday and again at three in the afternoon, and he did the same. Finally he went out at the last working hour – it was the eleventh – and he saw others standing there. So he said to them: 'Why do you stay idle the whole day?'  They answered: 'Because no one has hired us.' The master said: 'Go and work in my vineyard.'

"When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager: 'Call the workers and pay them their wage, beginning with the last and ending with the first.' Those who had come to work at the eleventh hour turned up and were given a denarius each (a silver coin). When it was the turn of the first, they thought they would receive more. But they, too, received a denarius each. So, on receiving it, they began to grumble against the landowner.

"They said: 'These last hardly worked an hour, yet you have treated them the same as us who have endured the day's burden and heat.' The owner said to one of them: 'Friend, I have not been unjust to you. Did we not agree on a denarius a day? So take what is yours and go. I want to give to the last the same as I give to you. Don't I have the right to do as I please with my money? Why are you envious when I am kind?'

"So will it be: the last will be first, the first will be last."

Reflection

In this parable about the kingdom of heaven, the vineyard owner pays his workers the same amount, whether they worked from the beginning of the day or started at later hours. Questioned, the owner retorted, "Have I been unjust? I have paid you the day's wage I promised?  It is my decision with my own money!"

In the same way God will reward us as he wishes, whether we have served him all our life or only for part of my life.  His generous reward of sharing life with him in heaven is freely his to give, when to give and to whom to give. No one is really entitled to heaven and God's rewards.

Two things are important: that we do our work for God and that we are ready for him when he comes to demand an accounting on how we have done our work in life.

We thank God for his goodness to us, completely out of his liberality, and live and pray so as to receive his reward for all eternity

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     Billie Ching Syling

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

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