Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The parables of Jesus were intended to shock his audience regarding the kingdom of God. Jesus presented his listeners with incredible images of divine love such as a father running out to welcome back the spendthrift black sheep. Yes, it’s one thing to forgive an errant son, it is a another matter to give twelve hours’ worth of wages to someone who worked four hours, or two hours, or one hour. But as God says through the prophet Isaiah, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, and My ways are not your ways.” God sees, thinks, and acts differently. Thus Jesus’ goal... get us angry, get us thinking, we become grateful, and then we are moved to imitate God's generosity.
Scripture Readings for September 24, 2023
Isaiah 55:6-9
Psalm 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18
Philippians 1:20-24, 27
Matthew 20:1-16
