Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk Twenty Fifth Sunday of the Year, A – September 20, 2020
Readings: Isaiah 55:6-9; Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:2-3.8-9.17-18(R.8a); Phil 1:20c-24.27a & Gospel Matthew 20:1-16.
Theme: A Benevolent God
Sunday Synopsis
The first reading reveals God as a merciful God who is ready to accept the sinner if he or she repents. In the second reading, St. Paul urges us to serve God whether we are alive or death while stressing that we should avoid anything that is inimical to the gospel. The gospel reading presents Jesus as a benevolent father who rewards morning, afternoon and evening Christians equally. Our liturgy challenges us to seek God’s mercy while showing mercy ourselves.
In the second reading (Phil 1:20c-24.27), St. Paul reveals that he is caught in a quandary whether to die or live. He, however, states that life for him is Christ but death would bring him something greater. He stresses that the most urgent need is to be alive for the sake of the Philippians and urged them to avoid anything that is unworthy of the gospel of Christ.
The gospel reading (Matthew 20:1-16) presents us with the parable of the workers who came into a landowner’s vineyard in the morning, afternoon and evening respectively but were rewarded alike. Accordingly, we are told that those who came earlier grumbled but the Master said he was not unjust because he gave as he wished. He challenged the wailers for being jealous over his magnanimity.
2. Grasp Your Opportunity: Like those who appeared in the afternoon represented by the gentiles who were shown mercy as exemplified in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) to the dismay of the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes, afternoon-Christians are those who came into the Catholic Church through marriage or conversion but grasped the opportunity like St. Paul and are now teaching others the faith. As such, if you are an afternoon Christian, take your chance.
3. Seek Divine Mercy: Like those who got into the vineyard in the evening, late comers especially prostitutes, tax collectors and sinners like Zacchaeus, the thief on the cross and Mary Magdalene, evening-Christians are those who got into the harvest at the twilight of their lives but found God’s favour. Since God does not refuse good gifts to his children even at the last minute, always seek God’s forgiveness.
5. Share God’s Gifts with Everyone: By paying all the servants the same amount, our liturgy reminds us that God’s ways and methods are not ours which means that since everyone would receive the same reward with the pope, our cardinals, bishops, priests and consecrated men and women, we are charged to share the earth’s resources with everyone including our enemies.
6. Fix Your Gaze on the Ultimate Prize: Since our liturgy reveals the magnanimous and awesome nature of our God who does whatsoever he wills, we are encouraged to fix our gaze on the ultimate reward which is the crown of eternal life.
2. In the second reading (Phil 1:20c-24.27), St. Paul [-] states that life for him is Christ but death would bring him something greater.
3. Avoid anything that is unworthy of the gospel of Christ.
4. The gospel reading (Matthew 20:1-16) presents us with the parable of the workers who came into a landowner’s vineyard in the morning, afternoon and evening respectively but were rewarded alike.
5. He (Jesus) challenged the wailers for being jealous over his magnanimity.
Introduction
Beloved in Christ, our liturgy presents Jesus as a paradoxical hero who supplants the natural tendency of human beings to reward people who came for a certain job equally. He goes against conventions by giving those who got into his harvest first, the same reward as those who came last. Entitled “A Benevolent God” our reflection which challenges us to fix our gaze on the ultimate prize and not get distracted on how long we toiled in the Lord’s vineyard shall scan through the readings for appropriate pastoral lessons.Background and Summary of the Readings
In the first reading (Isaiah 55:6-9), the Prophet Isaiah tells the people of Israel to seek the Lord while assuring that he is near. He urged the wicked to abandon their ways and return to the Lord as he is rich in forgiving. Just as the heavens are as high above, he surmised that God’s ways are not our ways and his methods are not our methods.In the second reading (Phil 1:20c-24.27), St. Paul reveals that he is caught in a quandary whether to die or live. He, however, states that life for him is Christ but death would bring him something greater. He stresses that the most urgent need is to be alive for the sake of the Philippians and urged them to avoid anything that is unworthy of the gospel of Christ.
The gospel reading (Matthew 20:1-16) presents us with the parable of the workers who came into a landowner’s vineyard in the morning, afternoon and evening respectively but were rewarded alike. Accordingly, we are told that those who came earlier grumbled but the Master said he was not unjust because he gave as he wished. He challenged the wailers for being jealous over his magnanimity.
Pastoral Lessons
1. Live Up to Expectation: Like those who came in the morning which refers to the Jews especially the Pharisees who threw away the blessings of God and didn’t want sinners to be saved (Mark 2:13-17), morning-Christians are those who were born and baptized into the Church but are not living up to expectation – some end up either leaving the Church or being nominal-Christians. Therefore, if you are a morning Christian, live up to expectation.2. Grasp Your Opportunity: Like those who appeared in the afternoon represented by the gentiles who were shown mercy as exemplified in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) to the dismay of the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes, afternoon-Christians are those who came into the Catholic Church through marriage or conversion but grasped the opportunity like St. Paul and are now teaching others the faith. As such, if you are an afternoon Christian, take your chance.
3. Seek Divine Mercy: Like those who got into the vineyard in the evening, late comers especially prostitutes, tax collectors and sinners like Zacchaeus, the thief on the cross and Mary Magdalene, evening-Christians are those who got into the harvest at the twilight of their lives but found God’s favour. Since God does not refuse good gifts to his children even at the last minute, always seek God’s forgiveness.
5. Share God’s Gifts with Everyone: By paying all the servants the same amount, our liturgy reminds us that God’s ways and methods are not ours which means that since everyone would receive the same reward with the pope, our cardinals, bishops, priests and consecrated men and women, we are charged to share the earth’s resources with everyone including our enemies.
6. Fix Your Gaze on the Ultimate Prize: Since our liturgy reveals the magnanimous and awesome nature of our God who does whatsoever he wills, we are encouraged to fix our gaze on the ultimate reward which is the crown of eternal life.
Summary Lines
1. In the first reading (Isaiah 55:6-9), the Prophet Isaiah tells the people of Israel to seek the Lord while assuring that he is near.2. In the second reading (Phil 1:20c-24.27), St. Paul [-] states that life for him is Christ but death would bring him something greater.
3. Avoid anything that is unworthy of the gospel of Christ.
4. The gospel reading (Matthew 20:1-16) presents us with the parable of the workers who came into a landowner’s vineyard in the morning, afternoon and evening respectively but were rewarded alike.
5. He (Jesus) challenged the wailers for being jealous over his magnanimity.
