Wednesday 21 August 2024

Today is Wednesday the 21st August, the feast of Saint Pius X, in the 20th week of Ordinary Time. The monks of the Abbey of Keur Moussa sing Psalm 4: ‘When I call, answer me, O God of justice. From anguish you released me. Have mercy and hear me.’ Can I make this my prayer too? As I listen, can I bring myself before God, trusting in his justice, his goodness, his faithful love? (Lyrics currently unavailable) Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 20:1-16 ‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’ For a few moments, imagine yourself involved in this story: hanging about on a hot day, waiting for work, needing the money. How do you feel when the landowner comes along and hires your labour? How might you feel if you were one of the last to be hired? And when the working day is over, and you're queueing up to be paid. How do you feel when everyone gets the same pay? As the end of the story is read again, think of God as the landowner and hear how God treats each person who comes to labour in the kingdom. Everyone who comes to God is treated with the same fairness and the same generosity. And this is true for you: God accepts you with whatever you have to offer. What do you have to offer, what do you want to offer to God, right now? Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.