Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time (II) (19th August, 2020)

Homily (Reflection) for Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time (II) (19th August, 2020) on the Gospel Ezek 34:1-11; Ps 22. (R. v. 1); Matt 20:1-16. Topic: Duty bound. In today’s gospel, Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to “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.” He also sent into his vineyard those he saw standing in the marketplace at about nine o’clock, noon, three o’clock, and even five o’clock. In the evening, the owner of the vineyard asked his manager to pay the labourers beginning from the last. When those who were hired first saw that all including those who worked just an hour were paid the usual daily wage, they grumbled against the landowner. The expectation of those who came first looks plausible. However, they forgot that besides being bound to pay those who worked for him (cf. Lev 19:13), the landowner is also bound to be generous to everybody (cf. Is 58:7, 10; Ezek 18:7, 16; Matt 25:35, 42. This is a good illustration of how God deals with all creatures, cf. Matt 5:45. God “does not deal with us according to our sins, nor requite us according to our iniquities” (Ps 103:10). He expects us to deal with our brothers and sisters in the same way, cf. Matt 18:33; 1Jn 4:11. So as you pay those who worked for you, do not forget others who need your help. Bible Reading: Ps 103:1-22. Thought for today: It is not by your merit. Let us pray: Lord, thank you for your overflowing kindness in and around us – Amen. You are free to share this reflection with others if you consider it worthy. For more homilies (reflections): Visit our website: www.thepulpitonline.com Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thepulpitonline Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thepulpitonline Join our WhatsApp Group via: +234 810 298 6313 Send us Email: thepulpitonline@gmail.com To Contact and/or to support this ministry: Tel: +234 813 305 0302 Email: thepulpitonline@gmail.com May God bless you all+