August 21 2024: Bible Verse of the Day – Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard – Matthew 20:1-16 – Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
1 “The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire labourers for his vineyard…
…13 Jesus 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?
14 Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
15 Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’
16 Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” – Matthew 20:1-16
Catholic Readings For Today
Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1
Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Today’s Bible Verse of the Day Reflections
This parable gives us a very good example of how it will be at the end of time when Jesus comes to judge the living and the dead.
You know, when God created us, He gave each one of us a specific task to do here on earth and it is from accomplishing that task that we will get our reward.
God gives each one of us our talents without comparing them to what He gives to another.
He intends you to work with what He has given you because to the one who is given less, less is expected from him and to the one who is given more, more will be expected from him. So we should not ask God why He gives us different measures of talents.
In the parable above of the labourers in the vineyard, Jesus tells us that we should not be driven by jealousy and greed because everything on earth belongs to God and He does whatever He wills with it.
He apportions his tasks and wages the way He wants and on the last day, He will demand results according to His agreement with you.
This agreement is the measure of power, resources, strength, knowledge and grace that He avails to you in order to do His work.
The expectations in this parable seem very different from those we would expect if we were working for a human being.
Here on earth, what man expects from his labourers is totally different from what is expected in the Kingdom of God.
Man expects a return on his investment by giving wages that are equivalent to work done or time taken. There is no generosity in earthly business but in the Kingdom of God, it is the order of the day.
Therefore, let us do God’s work the best way we can with the power, resources, strength, knowledge and graces that He avails to us because our wages will not be equated to another person’s work, but according to the agreement that God has with you.
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, help us to do God’s work in the best way possible, according to Your Holy Will. Give us Your strength and plenty of graces to accomplish our God-given tasks and get our wages in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus, I love you. Amen.
Bible Verse of the Day in Pictures
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