💖 HOMILY - AUGUST 21 💖

First Reading - Ezekiel 34:1-11

Gospel - Matthew 20:1-16

The opposite of selfishness is the virtue of generosity. While selfishness is an inherent trait in everyone, generosity is a virtue that must be cultivated within us. Today's readings invite us to develop virtues that contribute to building God's reign on earth.

In the first reading, the prophet Ezekiel criticizes the leaders of Israel, symbolized by the image of shepherds, for their selfish attitude. Ezekiel describes the pitiful condition of the sheep—representing the people—who are helpless, confused, and in desperate need of direction and care. Seeing the suffering of His people and the neglectful behavior of the rulers, God declares through Ezekiel that He will take on the role of the Shepherd, caring for His people directly. The selfish leaders, however, will be held accountable for their irresponsibility and judged accordingly.

The Gospel further illustrates God's merciful and generous nature through the parable of the generous landowner. In this parable, the landowner hires workers at different times throughout the day—6 a.m., 9 a.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m.—to work in his vineyard. At the end of the day, the landowner pays all the workers the same wage, a full day's pay, regardless of how long they had worked. This sparks complaints from those who had worked the longest, but the landowner defends his right to be generous. The landowner’s actions reveal God’s superabundant and impartial love, showing that God cares for each of us equally, without favoritism.

We all struggle with selfishness, a tendency to prioritize our own desires and needs over those of others. The first reading highlights this trait in the selfish shepherds who cared more for themselves than for the people they were supposed to lead. Similarly, in the Gospel, the early workers resent the landowner’s generosity toward the latecomers because they wanted more for themselves. This attitude of selfishness, Jesus teaches, is confined to the worldly realm, while virtues like generosity transcend the physical world and are essential in the reign of God.

The parable reminds us that God is generous and attuned to our needs. Like the landowner, God gives each of us what we need, when we need it. However, we often fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others and demanding more, forgetting that God's grace is sufficient for us in the present moment. When we cultivate virtues like generosity, love, kindness, and sensitivity, we help bring about God's reign here on earth.

St. Paul, in his letter to the Romans (14:17), reminds us that "the kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit." This underscores the idea that God's kingdom is not about fulfilling selfish desires, but about living out the virtues that reflect God's love and generosity. By embracing these virtues in our lives, we allow God's reign to manifest among us.

Let us strive to be generous, sensitive, and kind to one another, reflecting God's love in our daily actions. Through these virtues, we can bring God's kingdom closer to earth and radiate His love through our lives.