Wednesday of the Twentieth week in Ordinary Time
St. John Eudes, Priest (1601-1680)
Commentary of the day
Saint John Chrysostom : The man at the eleventh hour: «The last shall be first»
Reading
Judges 9:6-15.
Then all the citizens of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together and
proceeded to make Abimelech king by the terebinth at the memorial pillar in
Shechem.
When this was reported to him, Jotham went to the top of Mount Gerizim, and
standing there, cried out to them in a loud voice: "Hear me, citizens of
Shechem, that God may then hear you!
Once the trees went to anoint a king over themselves. So they said to the
olive tree, 'Reign over us.'
But the olive tree answered them, 'Must I give up my rich oil, whereby men
and gods are honored, and go to wave over the trees?'
Then the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come; you reign over us!'
But the fig tree answered them, 'Must I give up my sweetness and my good
fruit, and go to wave over the trees?'
Then the trees said to the vine, 'Come you, and reign over us.'
But the vine answered them, 'Must I give up my wine that cheers gods and
men, and go to wave over the trees?'
Then all the trees said to the buckthorn, 'Come; you reign over us!'
But the buckthorn replied to the trees, 'If you wish to anoint me king over
you in good faith, come and take refuge in my shadow. Otherwise, let fire
come from the buckthorn and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'
Mt 20:1-16.
The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire
laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his
vineyard.
Going out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the
marketplace,
and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what
is just.'
So they went off. (And) he went out again around noon, and around three
o'clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o'clock, he found others standing around, and said to
them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?'
They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You too go
into my vineyard.'
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Summon
the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending
with the first.'
When those who had started about five o'clock came, each received the usual
daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each
of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner,
saying, 'These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal
to us, who bore the day's burden and the heat.'
He said to one of them in reply, 'My friend, I am not cheating you. Did
you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as
you?
(Or) am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious
because I am generous?'
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last."
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
Commentary of the day
Saint John Chrysostom (c.345-407), priest at Antioch the Bishop of Constantinople, Doctor of the Church
Homily for Good Friday «The Cross and the criminal» (Migne 2000, p. 277)
The man at the eleventh hour: «The last shall be first»
What did that criminal do that he received a share in the paradise
following the cross?... While Peter denied Christ, this criminal, high on
the cross, bore witness to him. I'm not saying this to denigrate Peter but
to draw attention to the criminal's greatness of soul... While a whole
rabble were standing around him, murmuring, yelling and heaping oaths and
abuse on them both, this criminal paid no attention. He didn't even
consider the wretched condition of the crucifixion right before his eyes.
All this he passed over with a glance full of faith... He turned towards
our heavenly Lord and entrusted himself to him and said: «Lord, remember me
when you come into your kingdom» (Lk 23,42). Let us not casually avoid this
criminal's example or be ashamed of taking as teacher the man whom our Lord
was not ashamed to lead first into paradise...
He didn't say to him, as he said to Peter: «Come after me, and I will
make you a fisher of men» (Mt 4,19). Nor did he say to him as to the
Twelve: «You will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
Israel» (Mt 19,28). He favored him with no title, showed him no miracle.
This criminal did not see him raise a dead man nor cast out demons; he did
not see the sea obeying him. Christ said nothing to him about the Kingdom
nor yet about hell. And yet he bore witness to him before all and inherited
the Kingdom.
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--
Nam-Phong Le
" NAKED I CAME FROM MY MOTHER'S WOMB,
NAKED I SHALL RETURN.
THE LORD GAVE, THE LORD HAS TAKEN BACK,
BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD."
JOB. 1: 21
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