Matthew 20:1-16
At that time: Jesus told his disciples this parable, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for this vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market-place, and to them he said, “You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.” So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, “Why do you stand here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You go into the vineyard too.” ‘And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, “Call the labourers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.” And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 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 a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?” So the last will be first, and the first last.’
PROMPTS FOR FAITH SHARING
• Do you identify more with the early risers or the latecomers in the gospel parable? How does that make you feel about the landowner’s unthinkable generosity?
• Our human interactions would not be healthy if we always followed the example of this parable, but how can you bring God’s generosity more fully to life?
• In the second reading, Paul writes of the fruitful labour he has left in his life. What fruitful labour do you feel God has given you? What makes you feel that you are participating in God’s lifegiving work?
• The psalm promises that God’s closeness is dependent only on our calling out to God; we do not need to earn God’s love. When and how do you most fully know that God is close to you.