Wednesday, August 17, 2011 (Weekday)

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Judges 9:6-15
6 Then all the men of Shechem and Bethmillo got together and went to the sacred oak tree at Shechem, where they made Abimelech king.
7 When Jotham heard about this, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and shouted out to them, “Listen to me, you men of Shechem, and God may listen to you! 
8 Once upon a time the trees went out to choose a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’ 
9 The olive tree answered, ‘In order to govern you, I would have to stop producing my oil, which is used to honor gods and human beings.’ 
10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king.’ 
11 But the fig tree answered, ‘In order to govern you, I would have to stop producing my good sweet fruit.’ 
12 So the trees then said to the grapevine, ‘You come and be our king.’ 
13 But the vine answered, ‘In order to govern you, I would have to stop producing my wine, that makes gods and human beings happy.’ 
14 So then all the trees said to the thorn bush, ‘You come and be our king.’ 
15 The thorn bush answered, ‘If you really want to make me your king, then come and take shelter in my shade. If you don't, fire will blaze out of my thorny branches and burn up the cedars of Lebanon.’


Psalms: Psalm 21:2-7
2 You have given him his heart's desire; you have answered his request.
3 You came to him with great blessings and set a crown of gold on his head.
4 He asked for life, and you gave it, a long and lasting life.
5 His glory is great because of your help; you have given him fame and majesty.
6 Your blessings are with him forever, and your presence fills him with joy.
7 The king trusts in the Lord Almighty; and because of the Lord's constant love he will always be secure.


Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16
1 “The Kingdom of heaven is like this. Once there was a man who went out early in the morning to hire some men to work in his vineyard. 
2 He agreed to pay them the regular wage, a silver coin a day, and sent them to work in his vineyard. 
3 He went out again to the marketplace at nine o'clock and saw some men standing there doing nothing, 
4 so he told them, ‘You also go and work in the vineyard, and I will pay you a fair wage.’ 
5 So they went. Then at twelve o'clock and again at three o'clock he did the same thing. 
6 It was nearly five o'clock when he went to the marketplace and saw some other men still standing there. ‘Why are you wasting the whole day here doing nothing?’ he asked them. 
7 ‘No one hired us,’ they answered. ‘Well, then, you go and work in the vineyard,’ he told them.
8“When evening came, the owner told his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with those who were hired last and ending with those who were hired first.’ 
9 The men who had begun to work at five o'clock were paid a silver coin each. 
10 So when the men who were the first to be hired came to be paid, they thought they would get more; but they too were given a silver coin each. 
11 They took their money and started grumbling against the employer. 
12 ‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘while we put up with a whole day's work in the hot sun—yet you paid them the same as you paid us!’ 
13 ‘Listen, friend,’ the owner answered one of them, ‘I have not cheated you. After all, you agreed to do a day's work for one silver coin. 
14 Now take your pay and go home. I want to give this man who was hired last as much as I gave you. 
15 Don't I have the right to do as I wish with my own money? Or are you jealous because I am generous?’”
16 And Jesus concluded, “So those who are last will be first, and those who are first will be last.”


REFLECTION FOR TODAY
If you are wise, then, know that you have been created for the glory of God and your own eternal salvation. This is your goal; this is the center of your life; this is the treasure of your heart. May you consider truly good whatever leads you to your goal and truly evil whatever makes you fall away from it.


-- St Robert Bellarmine