Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

“Parable Of The Laborers In The Vineyard”
by Harmenszoon van Rijn Rembrandt 1637

 
Readings for Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Ezekiel 34:1-11
 
The word of the Lord came to me:
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel,
in these words prophesy to them to the shepherds:
Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the shepherds of Israel
who have been pasturing themselves!
Should not shepherds, rather, pasture sheep?
You have fed off their milk, worn their wool,
and slaughtered the fatlings,
but the sheep you have not pastured.
You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick
nor bind up the injured.
You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost,
but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally.
So they were scattered for the lack of a shepherd,
and became food for all the wild beasts.
My sheep were scattered
and wandered over all the mountains and high hills;
my sheep were scattered over the whole earth,
with no one to look after them or to search for them.
 
Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:
As I live, says the Lord God,
because my sheep have been given over to pillage,
and because my sheep have become food for every wild beast,
for lack of a shepherd;
because my shepherds did not look after my sheep,
but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep;
because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:
Thus says the Lord God:
I swear I am coming against these shepherds.
I will claim my sheep from them
and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep
so that they may no longer pasture themselves.
I will save my sheep,
that they may no longer be food for their mouths.
 
For thus says the Lord God:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ez 34:1-11
 
The prophet Ezekiel addresses the victims of the Babylonian exile for the first time. He offers an indictment against the religious leaders of Israel (“shepherds of Israel”). The use of the shepherd image in the Old Testament generally refers to the kings or rulers (perhaps stemming from the time of King David who was a shepherd, see 1 Samuel 17:34, Psalm 78:70-72. It is also used to refer to the Great Shepherd, God as in Psalm 23:1ff and Psalm 80:2-3). The prophet criticizes these leaders for living in the comfort of their office and neglecting their roles (“pasturing themselves”), while the people wander without spiritual leadership. As a result of the leaders' laxness, the people have fallen prey to other religious practices, pagan practices, leading to spiritual death (“So they were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and became food for all the wild beasts”).
 
In consequence of this neglect on the part of the religious leadership, God promises to supplant them, and replace them with a good shepherd (“I myself will look after and tend my sheep.”), seen as a prediction of the Messiah, the Son of God who is God.
 
CCC: Ez 34:11-31 754
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
 
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
 
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
 
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
 
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
 
Only goodness and kindness will follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
 
Psalm 23 is one of the most familiar songs in the entire psalter. “God's loving care for the psalmist is portrayed under the figures of a shepherd for the flock (Psalm 23:1-4) and a host's generosity toward a guest (Psalm 23:5-6). The imagery of both sections is drawn from traditions of the exodus (Isaiah 40:11; 49:10; Jeremiah 31:10).” [4] While the theme of shepherd is mentioned in the first strophe, the psalm really speaks to the peace given to those who follow the Lord and place their trust in him, even into the “dark valley.”
 
The reference in the third strophe above: “'You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes' occurs in an exodus context in Psalm 78:19. As my enemies watch: my enemies see that I am God's friend and guest. Oil: a perfumed ointment made from olive oil, used especially at banquets (Psalm 104:15; Matthew 26:7; Luke 7:37, 46; John 12:2).” [5]
 
CCC: Ps 23:5 1293
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16
 
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“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.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 20:1-16
 
The parable of the Laborers Hired Late continues the dialogue from Matthew 19:30: “the last will be first, and the first will be last.” The inference here changes slightly: in Matthew 19:23-30 the Lord referred to those who would follow him into eternal life, while here he broadens the scope to imply that those called later to faithful service, discipleship, would receive the same reward as those first called.
 
“’Discipleship’ is not a specialized vocation within the general Christian calling. Rather, all are called to the Kingdom, and discipleship is the lived, existential means of arriving there, of existing there. The Gospel knows no secondary category of Christians, that of ‘mere believer’ in contrast to that of ‘ardent disciple’.” [6]
 
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
The student who studies the history of Christianity cannot help but be appalled at some of the actions taken by church leaders at various times, supposedly in the name of Christ.  We don’t even need to look specifically at Christian leaders; we can broaden our gaze to encompass almost all the major faith traditions in the world.  We are all, no matter how pure our intentions, vulnerable to impulses of the evil one.  His words are honey sweet and his logic seems, to the innocent guile of the unwary, to be impeccable.
 
In the case of the leaders described by Ezekiel, we can be sure that, in the situation they were placed, conquered by Assyria, enslaved, and deported, they felt the best way to survive was to compromise their faith.  They turn a blind eye to the people who adopted pagan traditions, in order to assimilate with as little pain as possible.  Ezekiel rips them.  He points out that God’s Kingship may not be compromised, and that the leaders who weakened and “rolled with the punches” were to be replaced by the uncompromising faith of the Messiah.
 
We understand this at a visceral level.  We’ve seen the faith of the martyrs. Unlike many radicalized Muslims, we have been taught it is a sin to embrace martyrdom for our own purposes when peaceful means of persuasion will suffice. In that misguided context we hear the sticky sweet voice of the evil one whispering in those young ears: “Blow yourself up and God will surely reward you,” or “Kill those who will not convert.”
 
But what are we to do?  We are weak and we often fall.  We take the easy path at times and follow that voice that so seductively tells us that it’s all right to steal if it’s for a worthy cause, or it’s all right to lust because it’s part of love.  To this, Christ came with his Gospel of love and forgiveness.  The parable of the workers who came late to the fields is a perfect example of a concept put forward a few days ago, when the motto of Venerable Bruno Lanteri was quoted: “Nunc Coepi,” or “Now I begin.”  Each time we fall and rise to try again, we come to work in God’s fields – late – knowing we will also be given the reward promised to the faithful.
 
Pax
 

---

[1] The Picture Used Is “Parable Of The Laborers In The Vineyard”by Harmenszoon van Rijn Rembrandt 1637.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] NAB footnote on Psalm 23.
[5] NAB footnote on Psalm 96.
[6]  Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume III, Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 2012 pp. 229-30.