20TH WEDNESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Matthew 20:1-16) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?” (Mt 20:15)

FIRST READING - Judg 9:6-15

"You said: We must have a king to rule over us! Even though the Lord, your God, is your King."

A reading from the Book of Judges

⁶ Then all the lords of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together and made Abimelech king by the terebinth at the memorial pillar in Shechem.

⁷ When this was reported to Jotham, he went and stood at the top of Mount Gerizim and cried out in a loud voice:

“Hear me, lords of Shechem, and may God hear you!⁸ One day the trees went out    to anoint a king over themselves. So they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’⁹ But the olive tree answered them, ‘Must I give up my rich oil, whereby gods and human beings are honored,^[a] and go off to hold sway over the trees?’¹⁰ Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come; you reign over us!’¹¹ But the fig tree answered them, ‘Must I give up my sweetness and my sweet fruit, and go off to hold sway over the trees?’¹² Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come you, reign over us.’¹³ But the vine answered them, ‘Must I give up my wine that cheers gods^[b] and human beings, and go off to hold sway over the trees?’¹⁴ Then all the trees said to the buckthorn, ‘Come; you reign over us!’ ¹⁵ The buckthorn answered the trees, ‘If you are anointing me in good faith, to make me king over you, come, and take refuge in my shadow. But if not, let fire come from the buckthorn and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Mt 20:1-16

"Are you envious because I am generous?"

✠From the Gospel according to Matthew

¹ “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. ² After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. ³ Going out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, ^4 [b]and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ ⁵ So they went off. [And] he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. ⁶ Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ ⁷ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’ ^8 [c]When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ ⁹ When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. ¹⁰ So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. ¹¹ And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, ¹² saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ ¹³ He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you.^[d] Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? ^14 [e]Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? ¹⁵ [Or] am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ ^16 [f]Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

20TH WEDNESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Matthew 20:1-16)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Today's Word of God speaks to all humanity about a God of Love through the image of the vineyard owner. He is a God of Love, always watching over all humanity. He knows what people need, what they lack, and what they desire. He always cares for and watches over people everywhere and at all times; this is the loving providence of God bestowed upon humanity. Because of love, God does not wish to lose any soul.

The image of the vineyard owner is the image of a God of Love, full of mercy, generosity, and tolerance. God is always just, but His justice cannot be weighed, measured, or counted by human standards, because the justice that God offers to humanity is love. God always places love above all laws.

Today's Word of God teaches everyone:

• Do not live with jealousy, or measure and calculate with God, but live according to His example, by living a life full of love.

• Give thanks to God for the graces He has bestowed. "Thank You, God, for allowing me to be close to You, to be in You, and to live in union with You. Thank You for placing me in Your Vineyard, in Your holy Church."

• To live and to do according to what God the Father has given and taught—that is, to practice charity and forgiveness toward our fellow human beings, just as God has loved us. Do not calculate, judge, or condemn the works that God has done for humanity out of love. Before God, all people are sinners. Therefore, those who are wise should remain humble, lowly, and small before God, and know how to give thanks for all the grace He has bestowed. Only then will God grant the reward of the Kingdom of Heaven in the life to come.

Thanks be to God. Amen.