Monday, August 19, 2019

 

WEDNESDAY, 20TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

August 21, 2019 – WEDNESDAY, 20TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
St. Pius X, Pope
Memorial. White..

Jgs 9: 6 – 15 / Mt 20: 1 – 16

[Ninoy Aquino Day]

Born near Venice, Pope St. Pius X (1835  –  1914) was instrumental in spreading the practice of frequent reception of Holy Communion.

FROM THE GOSPEL READING: Mt 20: 1 – 6a, 8 – 16
Jesus said to his disciples, "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 one 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. . .

"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 (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 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 about this, that this seemed unfair, the land owner retorted, "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?"

In the same way God will reward us as he wishes, whether we have served him all our life or only for part of our 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: first, that we do our work for God, and second, 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 of life with him for all eternity.

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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TUESDAY, 20TH Week in Ordinary Time

August 20, 2019 – TUESDAY, 20TH Week in Ordinary Time
St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church
Memorial. White.

Jgs 6: 11 – 24a / Mt 19: 23 – 30

Born in France, St. Bernard (1090 – 1153) was a Cistercian abbot and preacher.

FROM THE GOSPEL READING: Mt 19: 23 – 29
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, believe me: it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."

On hearing this the disciples were astonished and said, "Who, then, can be saved?" Jesus looked steadily at them and answered, "For humans it is impossible, but for God all things are possible."

Then Peter spoke up and said, "You see we have given up everything to follow you: what will be our lot?"

Jesus answered, "You who have followed me, listen to my words: on the Day of Renewal, when the Son of Man sits on his throne in glory, you, too, will sit on the twelve thrones to rule the twelve tribes of Israel. As for those who have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or property for my Name's sake, they will receive a hundredfold, and will be given eternal life."

REFLECTION
Peter's question in the Gospel reading today is a question asked by every believer and follower of Christ, whether in religious life or in the ordained ministry of the Church or as a simple lay person: "What do we get in return for following Christ? What will be our lot for giving up things for his sake?" The simple answer for all, "We hope to save our soul and have eternal life with God.."

In the Gospel reading Jesus warns his disciples about wealth and riches: they can be real deterrents to entering the kingdom of heaven, "It will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, believe me, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven." It is so easy for one to make wealth and riches, one's god replacing the true God.

Jesus also promises his disciples and those who follow him the reward of eternal life. True, the disciples left their families and their livelihood to follow Christ in his public ministry.

In fact, Jesus promises them a hundredfold even in this life. "Truly, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters, or father or mother, or children, or lands for my sake and for the Gospel, who will not receive his reward, I say to you: in the midst of persecution he will receive a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands in the present time and in the world to come eternal life." (Mk 10: 29 - 30)

Indeed, God cannot be outdone in generosity.

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!

**************************************************
These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following:
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   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
   |  distributed free and for personal use only.  
  +================================================+

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