Matthew 20: 1-16 Why be envious 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.’
This is the gospel of the Lord.
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Prayers of Intercession
Today’s Gospel tells us the parable of the generous landowner and the workers in the vineyard, with the latecomers being paid as much as those who worked all day. The message is that it is never too late to experience God’s love, mercy and forgiveness.
For the church – may we continuously seek the Lord and come to know and walk in God’s ways.
Lord in your mercy... Hear our prayer.
For all those baptised who no longer, or rarely, attend church that our witness as living missionary disciples will draw others into active participation.
Lord in your mercy... Hear our prayer.
For those who respond to God’s call to the priesthood or religious life that they might glorify Christ in their chosen vocation.
We particularly pray for Fr Mike and Fr Eugen this weekend who have devoted their lives to the priesthood and Our Lord and we thank them from the bottom of our hearts for all they have done for all of us over the years.
Lord in your mercy... Hear our prayer.
We pray for a bountiful harvest this Autumn with plentiful and just rewards for migrant workers and farm labourers.
Lord in your mercy... Hear our prayer.
We pray that our faith communities might welcome all who turn to God, when they are ready, knowing that it is never to late to do so.
Lord in your mercy... Hear our prayer.
We pray for all those who are sick in mind, body or soul and for all those who care for them. We ask that our Father in heaven will give them the strength and courage to bear their burden. We remember all those on the prayer foundation list.
Lord in your mercy... Hear our prayer.
For all those who have died, those whose anniversaries occur at this time and for all those who mourn loved ones that they will experience the love, mercy and forgiveness of our Father in heaven. We particularly remember
Frankie Richards, Charles Bell, Mary Fairly, Paul Martin & Sharon Riva
who
have died recently.
Lord in your mercy... Hear our prayer.
We will now say together our prayer to be missionary disciples.
