"A landowner went out early in the morning,

to hire workers for his vineyard."

 The story illustrates God's boundless grace, generosity,

and the truth that the kingdom of heaven

operates on mercy rather than human merit.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Isaiah 55:6-9

Seek Yahweh

While he may be found; call to him while he is near.

Let the wicked abandon his way, let him forsake his thoughts,

let him turn to Yahweh for he will have mercy, for our God is generous in forgiving.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not your ways, says Yahweh.

For as the heavens are above the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts.

 

Ps 145:2-3,8-9, 17-18 (18a)

The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

 

 

＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a

I am hopeful, even certain, that I shall not be ashamed.

I feel as assured now, as before, that Christ will be exalted through my person,

whether I live or die. For to me, living is for Christ, and dying is even better.

But if I am to go on living, I shall be able to enjoy fruitful labor. Which shall I choose?

 

So I feel torn between the two. I desire greatly to leave this life and to be with Christ,

which will be better by far, but it is necessary for you that I remain in this life.

Try, then, to adjust your lives according to the gospel of Christ.

May I see it when I come to you, and if I cannot come,

may I at least hear that you stand firm in the same spirit,

striving to uphold the faith of the gospel with one heart.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Matthew 20:1-16a

This story throws light on the kingdom of heaven:

A landowner went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

He agreed to pay each worker the usual daily wage, and sent them to his vineyard.

He went out again, at about nine in the morning, and, seeing others idle in the town square,

he said to them, 'You also, go to my vineyard, and I will pay you what is just. So they went.

The owner went out at midday, and, again, at three in the afternoon, and he made the same offer.

Again he went out, at the last working hour – the eleventh – and he saw others standing around.

 

So he said to them, 'Why do you stand idle the whole day?' They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.

The master said, 'Go, and work in my vineyard! When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager,

'Call the workers and pay them their wage, beginning with the last and ending with the first.

Those who had gone to work at the eleventh hour came up, and were each given a silver coin.

When it was the turn of the first, they thought they would receive more.

But they, too, received one silver coin. On receiving it, they began to grumble against the landowner.

 

They said, 'These last, hardly worked an hour; yet, you have treated them the same as us,

who have endured the heavy work of the day and the heat. The owner said to one of them,

'Friend, I have not been unjust to you. Did we not agree on one silver coin per day?

So, take what is yours and go. I want to give to the last the same as I give to you.

Don't I have the right to do as I please with what is mine?

Why are you envious when I am kind?' So will it be: the last will be first, the first will be last."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

Lectio Divina

God’s grace is freely given to all

 

Read: Today's readings highlight God's mercy, generosity, and call to faithful living.

The prophet Isaiah urges us to seek the Lord while He is near,

reminding us that God's ways and thoughts are higher than ours.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul reflects on his desire to be with Christ but commits to living in a way

that honors the Gospel, encouraging believers to stand firm in faith. In Matthew's Gospel,

Jesus tells the parable of the generous landowner who pays all workers equally,

challenging our sense of fairness and revealing God's boundless grace.

 

Reflect: In today's Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the landowner who pays all workers the same wage,

whether they labored all day or just an hour. At first, it seems unfair –

but Jesus is teaching us about the radical generosity of God. God's grace is not earned

by hours or effort but freely given to all who come to Him. Those who turn to God late in life are

equally welcomed with open arms. This challenges us to surrender our envy and rejoice in God's mercy.

His salvation is not a reward but a gift – a sign of His goodness. May we celebrate, not resent, His kindness to all.

 

Pray: Lord, give me a heart that sees your generous love in me and others.

 

Act: See your brothers and sisters as equally needing God's salvation as you.