Memorial of Saint Pius X, Pope
Lectionary: 421
Reading 1
Ezekiel 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:
Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the shepherds of Israel
who have been pasturing themselves!
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 did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick
nor bind up the injured.
You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost,
but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally.
So they were scattered for the lack of a shepherd,
and became food for all the wild beasts.
My sheep were scattered
and 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.
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.
I will claim my sheep from them
and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep
so that they may no longer pasture themselves.
I will save my sheep,
that they may no longer be food for their mouths.
For thus says the Lord GOD:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 23:1-3A, 3B-4, 5, 6
R. (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.
Alleluia
Hebrews 4:12
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
able to discern the reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 20:1-16
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
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.'
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?'
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 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.'
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.
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.”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Overcoming Envy
Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, “Why do you stand here idle all day?” They answered, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You too go into my vineyard.” Matthew 20:6–7
These are very generous words spoken by the landowner. As the parable explains, this landowner hired workers for his vineyard early in the morning, and then again at nine o’clock, noon, three o’clock and finally at five o’clock. But at the end of the day, he paid them all the same daily wage as if they had all been working since early morning. The ones hired first were upset thinking it was unfair that those who worked just an hour were paid the same wage as they were. But the landowner concludes, “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?” God, in His mercy, is generous beyond comprehension. But we, as fallen humans, are constantly examining whether we are getting our fair share and comparing ourselves to others. We tend to want more and more and easily become envious when we see others succeed or receive blessings that we do not have. For example, if someone is more popular than us on social media, or drives a nicer car, or has a bigger home, or goes on an expensive vacation, we often tend to notice with a sort of sorrow that we do not have what they do. And that is envy.
The cure for envy is wholehearted generosity. Not just generosity with our money but generosity with our affections and our ability to rejoice in the blessings that others receive. For example, if someone were to tell you that they were going on a nice vacation next month to a place you always wanted to go, how would you react? You might jokingly say, “Wow, I’m jealous!” Jealousy can quickly turn into envy, which is a form of sorrow over the blessings another has that you do not. And that sorrow over the blessings of another can subsequently turn to anger.
These workers in the vineyard who worked all day and received the same amount as those who worked only one hour could have responded by congratulating the later workers and could have even jokingly said, “Lucky you, I wish I would have shown up at five o’clock!” But instead, they grumbled and tried to interfere with the generosity of 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.” Again, this is envy, in that their sorrow over the generosity of the landowner led them to try to interfere with the blessing the others received.
Whenever you notice this form of unholy sorrow within you, take notice. It means that you lack a selfless generosity toward others. And if you see God blessing another in spiritual riches, try to generously rejoice in that. Offer praise and thanks to God for His goodness. Don’t dwell on yourself and dismiss every temptation to compare. In many ways, everyone of us is represented by those who worked only one hour and received the full daily wage. This is because we could never earn the grace of salvation. The one and only reason we are able to receive the gift of eternal salvation and every other grace given to us by God is because God is infinitely generous. Therefore, the goodness and generosity of God must be our constant focus, and we must rejoice in that generosity when it is given to us and when it is also given to others.
Reflect, today, upon any tendency you have toward envy. Think about the blessings that others have been given that you have not. Sincerely look at your interior reaction to that and pray that God will grant you the gift of being able to be generous in your rejoicing in those blessings. Every blessing given by God must be the cause of our joy, no matter if those blessings are bestowed upon us or upon others.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
“WHAT’S IN IT FOR _____”?
“You go to the vineyard too.” —Matthew 20:7
When we go out to work for the Lord, Jesus doesn’t promise us a place to lay our heads (Lk 9:58). Working in the vineyard for Jesus isn’t the place to be focused on what’s in it for us. The Lord knows our hearts. He knows how easy it is for us to be distracted by our self-interests. Before Jesus started His public ministry, He was confronted with the temptations of the devil to focus on how He could profit from His ministry (Mt 4:3-9). Satan tried to entice Jesus to take His eyes off His Father and put them on Himself. Jesus triumphed over these temptations by fixing His eyes completely on His Father’s will (Mt 4:10).
Let’s spend our day and our lives preoccupied with making a return to the Lord for all the good He has done for us (Ps 116:12). In focusing on giving all to Jesus, we paradoxically increase our own reward; this is because God cannot be out-given, for He is exceedingly generous (see Mt 19:29; Heb 6:10; Mt 10:41-42). However, once we entertain the thought of giving more to God so that we will receive more, we begin a downward spiral in which we focus increasingly on ourselves and lose focus on the Lord and His beloved flock. The Lord calls us to seek first the Kingdom of God and His way of service (Mt 6:33), and leave the rest in His loving hands (Mt 6:34). We are to focus on giving the Master a fruitful harvest and increasing His joy (Mt 25:21).
Don’t think, “What’s in it for me?” Beg the Father for the grace to instead think, “What’s in it for Jesus?”
Prayer: Father, may I decrease so that Jesus may increase (Jn 3:30).
Promise: “For thus says the Lord God: I Myself will look after and tend My sheep.” —Ez 34:11
Praise: Pope St. Pius X, born of humble beginnings, was raised up by the Holy Spirit to serve a tumultuous, violent world.
Reflection 3
Shared from God's Word
The parable of the vineyard workers runs on two principles: justice, and mercy. The owner of the vineyard treats those who came at 6 am by the principle of justice; the latecomers are treated with mercy. To understand this logic, we need to enter into the vineyard. The characteristic element of the Kingdom of Heaven is that being allowed to be treated as the Master wants. The Lord does what He wills. He changes track, and makes the first last, and the last first.
Prayers
My most generous Lord, You bestow Your blessings upon all in superabundance. When I witness the ways that others are blessed by You, help me to foster a sincere gratitude for all that they have received. Help me truly rejoice in the many ways You bless all Your people. Free me from envy, dear Lord, so that I am not burdened down by that ugly sin. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may serve you joyfully and serve my neighbor willingly with a generous heart, not looking for how much I can get, but rather looking for how much I can give.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 233: The Response of Silence
At times it can be helpful to speak openly and thoroughly to God about what we experience in life. You may feel compelled to talk and talk and talk. And God will listen. But there are other times when words seem quite insufficient. In fact, there are times when words appear to be counterproductive. In those moments the greatest blessings come through silence. We must realize that silence is a language. In fact, communication with God, in moments of silence, has potential to be far deeper than words can bring us. Do not be afraid of silent communication with God. Do not feel as though you must speak or even hear what He has to say. Simply being silent, in His presence, knowing that He is there may be exactly what your soul is in need of in those moments (See Diary #1200).
When you pray, do you feel as though you must speak continuously to our Lord? Do you feel as though you must talk continuously, saying this prayer or that one? Or are you content simply being in His presence in the silence? Ponder today your experience of being silent in the presence of God. Try to discern the unique and profound language God speaks this way. Try to commit yourself to these prolonged moments of silent communication with God and then look at the fruit they bear in your soul. If you discover that you are more at peace, gain a new level of clarity in life, or have grown in a certain confidence, then you can be assured that these good fruits in your life have come to you from God through the Mercy of His Heart, communicated to you in silence.
Lord, I desire to seek You and know You. Help me to hear You speak through the silence. Help me to understand this deep language of love and to allow You to transform me through this form of prayer. I love You, dear Lord, and I desire to rest in Your Heart. Jesus, I trust in You.
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