Commentary: 25th Sun OT A

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, A



Isaiah 55: 6-9

Psalm 145

Philippians 1: 20-24, 27

Matthew 20: 1-16



The readings converge on God’s ways being completely different from our ways. The First Reading is a hymn from the book of the Prophet Isaiah, which gives this counsel: “For My thoughts are not your thought, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord.” The Responsorial Psalm confirms God’s graciousness with its refrain, “The Lord is near to all who call Him.” The Gospel presents the parable of the workers in the vineyard. The generosity of the owner to the workers who labored only an hour caused dissention among those who had worked the entire day for the same wage. The owner’s retort, “I am free to do as I please with my money, am I not? Or are you envious because I am generous?” reminds us that “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” We do not have entitlements in the Kingdom of God—we have benefits, unearned.



The Fathers of the Church interpreted this story to talk about the end of time. St. Augustine says this: “This story reminds us of the harvest of spirits, at which God will rejoice in the fruit of His kingdom…In this great reward, then, we shall all be equal—the first to the last, and the last to the first. For the denarius stands for eternal life, in which all shall have the same share. Although through diversity of merit some will shine more brillianty than others, in the possession of eternal life, there will be equality.” (Sermo 87)



We begin a new in-course reading today, from the Epistle to the Philippians. Paul is reflecting on the possibility of being put to death (it is likely that he was imprisoned at the time of writing) for the faith, and he presents his readers a quandary: “For me, “life” means Christ; hence dying is so much gain. If, on the other hand, I am to go on living in the flesh, that means productive toil for me—and I do not know which to prefer.” Given this quandary, Paul says to the Philippians, “Conduct yourselves, then, in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ!”



On the recording "Music for the Year of Matthew," the Schola Cantorum of St. Peter's in the Loop sings today's First Reading (Isaiah 55:6-9) in Anglican chant. This prophetic text is also used as a canticle in the Episcopal "Book of Common Prayer," and is given with music in that church's "The Hymnal 1980." The recording is published by The Liturgical Press (www.litpress.org)