God's Generosity

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

20 September 2026

 

First Reading: Isaiah 55:6-9

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18

Second Reading: Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a

Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16a

 

Reflection

By: John Paulo Gonzales

 

Let us picture this: a hard day’s work at the office: a truckload of paperwork, deadlines running concurrently with each other, pressure from multiple authority figures, on top of the widely changing landscape our daily interactions. These present to us giants that need to be conquered every day, which is why it is relieving to receive our salary for a “job well done.” Normally, those who have worked longer at the company receive a proportionate increase in their salary, while juniors are extended the hope of reaping the same benefit come the proper time.

In today’s Gospel, the dynamic of compensation is not so straightforward. In the story, some laborers have been scouted early in the day to render work in the open field, only to realize that at the day’s end, they would receive the same wage as those who started later but ended with them at the same time. The question arises: “Why were they given the same amount?” Does the question sound familiar? This is when what we read becomes a personal experience.

In the story of the Prodigal Son, a comparable inner tempest can be seen. When the profligate son returned home to his father only hoping to be given bare sustenance the same as that given to the least in the household—only to be treated to the finest drapes, food, and festivity instead—the elder brother lamented to their father: “All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. (Luke 15:11-32)”

What is challenging in the Gospel is its relatability. At any point, we can find ourselves wrestling with the same thing: the feeling of not being given what we perceive we are worth… of not being given what we asked for... that indignance; for we know how much we have worked (compared to others). If we have reservations about naming what we deserve, we know how much we have pained (especially more than others did); but the Gospel today helps us realize how easy it is to identify with those who express their injuries openly and how helpless we can be at intuiting those whose pains we do not see readily.

In the Gospel, the problem was not that the grumblers had the temerity to ask, as to ask the Lord is an option not denied (Mark 7:7), but that they were much more keen on keeping score with the late workers. They could have asked the landowner if they could be requited for the work they believe goes beyond the usual daily wage, but instead, they objected to the following: “You have made them equal to us”—which can be taken as a denial of grace. As spectators ourselves, the lesson is just as crucial. It may be easy to associate with someone whose feelings we find personable that we fail to see the feelings of those who, buffeted by their own situation, may not have the strength to voice out their agony with any urgency anymore.

In the Gospel, we may find ourselves given to the groaning of those who started work early because their pain sounds familiar; their plea, we heard in plain; but we can be so unwitting to those subject to a different struggle. Where others have a headway at work, others may find themselves unable to even start. We have much to learn from God, the Landowner, who understood the late starters: “Why do you stand here idle all day?” […] “Because”—they answered—“no one has hired us.” As it turns out, the problem of the late workers is one that has existed for as long as work itself—and is one we still find relevant today. When we espouse God’s love in the way we look at His beloved in our midst, we realize that while all their good work is valuable, no pain from anyone is discountable. The Gospel also points to a most eminent truth: God is sovereign and supreme; He can give to whomever He wants; He remains generous, nevertheless. The Sacrifice of Christ makes a special point, however. The Father is already free to give to whomever He wants; but with the spiritual adoption won by the blood of Christ, who, then, is estranged from God’s generosity? Is there anything barring God from giving anyone a good thing? In this spirit, we can better understand God’s Own indignance in saying: “Am I not free to do as I wish with [what I have]? Are you envious because I am generous?”

If I can opine, the Gospel takeaway is not so much that “there are the blessed, and there are those who are not.” This is a line of thought tempting to the broken, especially to those who have been dented for so long; but that we can find ourselves—at any point—at either end of the discourse—between the “blessed this time” and the “blessed in time.” Anyone, at a time we are vulnerable, can be a “lost sheep,” so it is consoling to remember two things: first, God leaves the ninety-nine (comfortable) to recover the one who is lost (Luke 15:1-7; Matthew 18:12), and second, a community of believers provides a nurturing space where help can be sought and obtained.

Generosity is one revelation of God’s Personal Character—the fullness of which His heart speaks; and it is so expressive that in the Kingdom of God, there is preference for the last, the least, and the lost, so while we are in the world, we do not lose sight of those we must first seek to extend our generosity.

We are called to be generous so that in the order of things, with everything put in its proper place, we know that generosity is the measure to uphold. We all experience our peaks and troughs. One moment, we may be content, and another, we are in need. To the extent that we are capable of generosity, we are called towards it, and for the times when we are struggling, there is grace. To be generous when we are able is virtue, and to be generous when we are unable is great love. Lastly, though the world is rife with triggers for our indignation, there is Christ with Whom we can share our struggles and candid pleas, and our neighbors whose plights—resembling our crosses—we can help ease and offer in prayer.

Prayer

God, thank You for Your Presence. Thank You for reminding us today that as many are the crosses we bear, so do others endure their own sufferings. Please help us lighten each other’s burdens where we can, offer to You the parts we cannot help anymore, and to share with You everything just the same because You are our constant trusted Companion.

As we continue the Season of Creation, we also raise up to you our environment, natural and social, ravaged by inclement weather and multiple forms of violence. Please help us become Your good and faithful stewards. These, we ask, in Jesus’ most holy Name, Amen.

Ang Katarungan ay Pag-ibig

    

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Ika-25 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon)

24 September 2023

 

First Reading: Is 55:6-9

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18

Second Reading: Phil 1:20c-24, 27a

Gospel: Mt 20:1-16a

 

Reflection

By: Renato C. Vibiesca

 

Ang talinghaga ni Jesus sa Ebanghelyo ay pagpapakita ng pambihirang kabutihan ng Diyos sa tao. Ang may-ari ng ubasan sa kwento ay buong araw na naghanap ng mga manggagawa, matiyaga niyang sinusuyod ang liwasang-bayan upang kahit pa ang patambay-tambay lamang ay makapasok bilang manggagawa sa kanyang ubasan. Pagpapakahulugan na ang kabutihan ng Diyos ay para sa lahat ng tao.

Noong bata-bata pa ako, madalas na patambay-tambay, nagpapalipas ng oras, malimit na naghahanap ng pagkakalibangan. Parang iniiisip ko noon na mahaba pa naman ang oras ko sa mundo kaya’t maglibang-libang muna para sumaya sa buhay. Wala pa namang mga gadget noon, walang social media, walang Netflix, wala pang matinong teknolohiya kaya’t literal na tambay na nagpapalipas ng oras sa kwentuhan sa kanto, nababarkada na nauuwi pa sa pagbibisyo, kung saan mayaya ay sumasama agad, ‘yung sinasabi na easy go lucky o sa prinsipyo na “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorow we die”, na sa panahon natin ngayon ay magpaka-YOLO. Pero dahil sa kabutihan nga ng Diyos, hahanapin ka Niya kahit saan ka pa magpunta at aalukin ka Niya ng biyayang hindi natin matatanggihan. Ito kasi ang biyaya ng Diyos na kahit kailan at kahit saan sa mundo ay hindi natin makakamtan. Sa madaling salita ay gusto Niyang maligtas tayo, gusto Niyang makapiling tayo habambuhay na masaya sa Kanyang kaharian. Kung sakali mang muling maligaw tayo ng landas, kahit magdadapithapon na ng buhay ay hahanapin pa rin tayo ng Diyos, dahil nga walang hanggan ang Kanyang kabutihan.  

Isa pa sa mapagninilayan natin sa Ebanghelyo ay ang naging ugali ng ibang manggagawa nang sumapit na ang oras ng kanilang sahod sa pagtatapos ng araw ng trabaho. Parang nawala ang tiwala ng mga manggagawa nang pangatuwiranan pa nila na may mali sa pamamalakad ng may-ari ng ubasan. Ang nag-uudyok sa kanila na parang dinaraya sila ay matinding inggit sa ibang manggagawa na tila nalamangan sila sa oras ng pagtatrabaho. Ito kasi ang madalas na pamantayan natin sa ating mundo, bilangin kung ilang oras nagtrabaho at may katumbas na kabayaran, kung mag-over time ay may karagdagan pa, kung mag-overnight ay may night differential pay pa, kung nag-half day ay kalahati lang ang sweldo at kung undertime ay may kabawasan din sa sweldo. Pero iba naman ang kabutihan ng Diyos. Hindi ito tulad ng pag-iisip natin na parang katarungan sa pagnenegosyo at walang lamangan. Ang katarungan sa Diyos ay maipadama Niya sa lahat ang Kanyang kabutihan ng walang tinatangi, walang VIP, walang favoritism, walang panahon at kahit pa nga ikaw ay sa huling yugto na ng iyong buhay tumugon sa Diyos, at ito ang kabutihan ng Diyos na walang hanggan. Hindi ba’t sa mga huling hininga na nabatid ng isang magnanakaw ang kaligtasan niya nang humingi siya ng tawad kay Jesus habang nakabayubay sila sa krus? Kaya’t hindi natin pwedeng ikahon ang kabutihan ng Diyos sa pamamagitan ng pagsusukat natin ng oras ng paglilingkod, o dami ng mga ginawa natin kumpara sa ibang tao. Ang grasya ng Diyos ay walang sukat, ang kabutihan Niya ay walang hanggan. Amen.

Prayer

Panginoong Jesus, labis ang pasasalamat namin sa walang hanggang kabutihan ng Diyos sa amin.  Dalangin namin na maging matibay ang aming pananampalataya sa Diyos upang makapaglingkod kami nang naayon sa kalooban ng Diyos.  Amen.

Thank You

First Reading: Nm 11:25-29

The LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses, the LORD bestowed it on the seventy elders; and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied. Now two men, one named Eldad and the other Medad, were not in the gathering but had been left in the camp. They too had been on the list, but had not gone out to the tent; yet the spirit came to rest on them also, and they prophesied in the camp. So, when a young man quickly told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp, " Joshua, son of Nun, who from his youth had been Moses?aide, said, "Moses, my lord, stop them." But Moses answered him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets! Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!"

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14

Second Reading: Jas 5:1-6

Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire. You have stored up treasure for the last days. Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter. You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous one;

he offers you no resistance.

Gospel: Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

At that time, John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us." Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ,  amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched."

REFLECTION:

by Cris Balla

Equal Employment Opportunity. This is what came to my mind when I was reading the first part of the Gospel.

                       

While equal employment opportunity is probably a recent invention, it appears that even Moses had espoused the idea thousands of years ago. And so did Jesus 2 millennia back. 

But more than the equal employment opportunity clause, I think that God is also telling us to partake in His goodness by doing good things as well.  I think that Jesus is calling us to do something good - not literally driving out demons, but something probably within the bounds of our abilities. 

It could be as simple as teaching our children good manners and right conduct. Or it could be giving up some of our precious time to help build houses for our less fortunate brothers.

There are many good things we can do. Maybe to start with, avoid doing something that is obviously not good.

"Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us." What Jesus did was encourage the performance of good deeds.

How often do we encourage others to perform good deeds?  How often do we appreciate someone doing a good deed? How often do we say the words "Thank You!"? 

...I think that maybe if we do more of it, this could be a better place to live… Think about it.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for giving us the grace to partake in Your goodness. Help us to role model gratefulness and to develop the habit of encouraging others to do good so many will give glory to Your name. Amen.