Daily Readings August 22, 2012

Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary 
Lectionary: 421

Hail Holy Queen!

Revelation 12:1King James Version (KJV)
12 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

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Reading 1
Ez 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:

God instructs Ezekiel to speak to the princes, priests and prophets of Israel.

Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the shepherds of Israelwho have been pasturing themselves!

God says, "Be warned all you leaders of Israel who have been taking care of yourselves but neglecting my people."

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 have been profiting off of my people, taking from them your food, your clothing and the best ones, you killed.  But you have not been looking for their interest.

You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sicknor bind up the injured.You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost,but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally.

You did not take care of them when they needed you, on the contrary, you took advantage of them.

So they were scattered for the lack of a shepherd,and became food for all the wild beasts.

And since you did not protect them nor care for them, the wicked people of the world saw that they were defenseless and also took advantage of them.

My sheep were scatteredand 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.

And so, they were confused, confounded and lost, with no one to care 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.

Now, listen to me all you leaders of Israel.  Because you have abused my people, I am coming against you.

I will claim my sheep from themand put a stop to their shepherding my sheepso that they may no longer pasture themselves.I will save my sheep,that they may no longer be food for their mouths.

I will reclaim my people and take them from out of your power that you may no longer abuse of them.

For thus says the Lord GOD:I myself will look after and tend my sheep.

And from now on, I, myself, will take care of them.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 23:1-3A, 3B-4, 5, 6

Response. (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.

This Psalm speaks of the goodness of the Lord, who leads us and guides us to the Promised Land, the Heavenly Kingdom.

Gospel
Mt 20:1-16

Jesus told his disciples this parable:"The Kingdom of heaven is like a landownerwho went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.

The Landowner represents God.
The first set of laborers represent the Jews.
The Vineyard represents the Kingdom of God or the Church.

After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,he sent them into his vineyard.

In the Old Testament, God made an agreement with the Jews:

Exodus 19:5-8
King James Version (KJV)
⁵ Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:⁶ And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.⁷ And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.⁸ And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.

They agreed to keep His Commandments and to do His will.

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.'

God kept sending His prophets to convert more people in order that they might also be saved.

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?'

Finally, He came to the last group and also called them to come and labor in His Kingdom.

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 it came time to settle up accounts, God paid the last ones first.

This represents the Sacraments.  We, Christians, walk amongst the Saints on Mt. Sion when we are Baptized.  If we continue in a state of Grace and continue receiving the Sacraments, we remain there.

Whereas, the Jews and all others who reject the Sacraments, will await the Final Judgment before they find out whether they are saved.

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.'

The Jews then were outraged.  How could these who did no work in comparison to ourselves, be rewarded before us and enter heaven before us.

This is the situation to which St. Paul referred when he said:

Romans 4:4
King James Version (KJV)
⁴ Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

The Jews felt they were owed salvation.

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.

God said to the Jews.  I am not cheating you.  In other words, God's grace of salvation is bestowed upon all for the same reason.  Because He loves us.  It is not bestowed out of debt.  God does not owe anyone salvation.  It is because of His mercy that He saves us.

Exodus 20:6
King James Version (KJV)
⁶ And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

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."

And the last will be first.  That is us.  We come into heaven first because of God's grace which is bestowed upon us in the Sacraments.

Hebrews 11:39-40
King James Version (KJV)
³⁹ And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:⁴⁰ God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

 Sincerely,

De Maria