Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 55:6-9 (JB)

A reading from the prophet Isaiah

My thoughts are not your thoughts.

Seek the Lord while he is still to be found,

call to him while he is still near.

Let the wicked man abandon his way,

the evil man his thoughts.

Let him turn back to the Lord who will take pity on him,

to our God who is rich in forgiving;

for my thoughts are not your thoughts,

my ways not your ways – it is the Lord who speaks.

Yes, the heavens are as high above earth

as my ways are above your ways,

my thoughts above your thoughts.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Isaiah 55:6-9 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah

Seek the Lord while he may be found,

call upon him while he is near;

let the wicked forsake their way,

and the unrighteous their thoughts;

let them return to the Lord,

that he may have mercy on them,

and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 144:2-3, 8-9, 17-18 (JB)

R. The Lord is near to all who call him.

I will bless you day after day

and praise your name for ever.

The Lord is great, highly to be praised,

his greatness cannot be measured. R.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion,

slow to anger, abounding in love.

How good is the Lord to all,

compassionate to all his creatures. R.

The Lord is just in all his ways

and loving in all his deeds.

He is close to all who call him,

who call on him from their hearts. R.

Philippians 1:20-24, 27 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Philippians

For me to live is Christ.

Christ will be glorified in my body, whether by my life or by my death. Life to me, of course, is Christ, but then death would bring me something more; but then again, if living in this body means doing work which is having good results – I do not know what I should choose. I am caught in this dilemma: I want to be gone and be with Christ, which would be very much the better, but for me to stay alive in this body is a more urgent need for your sake.

Avoid anything in your everyday lives that would be unworthy of the gospel of Christ.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Philippians 1:20-24, 27 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians

My brothers and sisters:

It is my eager expectation and hope

that I will not be put to shame in any way,

but that by my speaking with all boldness,

Christ will be exalted now as always in my body,

whether by life or by death.

For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.

If I am to live in the flesh,

that means fruitful labour for me;

and I do not know which I prefer.

I am hard pressed between the two:

my desire is to depart and be with Christ,

for that is far better;

but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.

Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ,

so that, whether I come and see you

or am absent and hear about you,

I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit,

striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

cf Acts 16:14 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open our hearts, O Lord,

to listen to the words of your Son.

Alleluia!

Acts 16:14 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open our hearts, O Lord,

to listen to the words of your Son.

Alleluia!

Matthew 20:1-16 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Why are you jealous because I am generous?

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner going out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. He made an agreement with the workers for one denarius a day, and sent them to his vineyard. Going out at about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place and said to them, “You go to my vineyard too and I will give you a fair wage.” So they went. At about the sixth hour and again at about the ninth hour, he went out and did the same. Then at about the eleventh hour he went out and found more men standing round, and he said to them, “Why have you been standing here idle all day?” “Because no one has hired us” they answered. He said to them, “You go into my vineyard too.” In the evening, the owner of the vineyard said to his bailiff, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last arrivals and ending with the first.” So those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came forward and received one denarius each. When the first came, they expected to get more, but they too received one denarius each. They took it, but grumbled at the landowner. “The men who came last” they said “have done only one hour, and you have treated them the same as us, though we have done a heavy day’s work in all the heat.” He answered one of them and said, “My friend, I am not being unjust to you; did we not agree on one denarius? Take your earnings and go. I choose to pay the last-comer as much as I pay you. Have I no right to do what I like with my own? Why be envious because I am generous?” Thus the last will be first, and the first, last.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 20:1-16 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew

Jesus spoke this parable to his disciples.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner

who went out early in the morning

to hire labourers for his vineyard.

After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage,

he sent them into his vineyard.

When he went out about nine o’clock,

he saw others standing idle in the marketplace;

and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard,

and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.

“When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock,

he did the same. And about five o’clock

 he went out and found others standing around;

and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’

They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’

He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’

“When evening came,

the owner of the vineyard said to his manager,

‘Call the labourers and give them their pay,

beginning with the last and then going to the first.’

When those hired about five o’clock came,

each of them received the usual daily wage.

Now when the first came,

they thought they would receive more;

but each of them also received the usual daily wage.

And when they received it,

they grumbled against the landowner, saying,

‘These last worked only one hour,

and you have made them equal to us

who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’

But he replied to one of them,

‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong;

did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?

Take what belongs to you and go;

I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you.

Am I not allowed to do what I choose

with what belongs to me?

Or are you envious because I am generous?’

“So the last will be first,

and the first will be last.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.