August 21, 2019

Reading

Judges    9: 6-15

9:6 Then all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the families of the city of Millo, and they went and appointed Abimelech as king, beside the oak that stood at Shechem.

9:7 When this had been reported to Jotham, he went and stood at the top of Mount Gerizim. And lifting up his voice, he cried out and said: “Listen to me, men of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.

9:8 The trees went to anoint a king over themselves. And they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’

9:9 And it responded, ‘How could I abandon my fatness, which both gods and men make use of, and depart to be promoted among the trees?’

9:10 And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and accept royal power over us.’

9:11 And it responded to them, ‘How could I abandon my sweetness, and my very sweet fruits, and depart to be promoted among the other trees?’

9:12 And the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’

9:13 And it responded to them, ‘How could I abandon my wine, which gives joy to God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?’

9:14 And all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come and reign over us.’

9:15 And it responded to them: ‘If truly you would appoint me as king, come and rest under my shadow. But if you are not willing, let fire go forth from the bramble, and let it devour the cedars of Lebanon.’ ”

Gospel

Matthew    20: 1-16

20:1 “The kingdom of heaven is like the father of a family who went out in early morning to lead workers into his vineyard.

20:2 Then, having made an agreement with the workers for one denarius per day, he sent them into his vineyard.

20:3 And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace.’

20:4 And he said to them, ‘You may go into my vineyard, too, and what I will give you will be just.’

20:5 So they went forth. But again, he went out about the sixth, and about the ninth hour, and he acted similarly.

20:6 Yet truly, about the eleventh hour, he went out and found others standing, and he said to them, ‘Why have you stood here idle all day?’

20:7 They say to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also may go into my vineyard.’

20:8 And when evening had arrived, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last, even to the first.’

20:9 And so, when those who had arrived about the eleventh hour came forward, each received a single denarius.

20:10 Then when the first ones also came forward, they considered that they would receive more. But they, too, received one denarius

20:11 And upon receiving it, they murmured against the father of the family,

20:12 saying, ‘These last have worked for one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who worked bearing the weight and heat of the day.’

20:13 But responding to one of them, he said: ‘Friend, I caused you no injury. Did you not agree with me to one denarius?

20:14 Take what is yours and go. But it is my will to give to this last, just as to you.

20:15 And is it not lawful for me to do what I will? Or is your eye wicked because I am good?’

20:16 So then, the last shall be first, and the first shall be last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”