The 24th of September, 2023 is the Twenty-Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time. The Holy Bible verses for the mass readings for this day came from the Liturgical Calendar Year 2023.
Reading 1: IS 55:6-9
The first reading from the Book of Isaiah.
Seek Yahweh while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him, to our God, for he will freely pardon.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” says Yahweh.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Responsorial Psalm: PS 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18
Response: Yahweh is near to all those who call on him.
Every day I will praise you. I will extol your name forever and ever.
Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised! His greatness is unsearchable.
R: Yahweh is near to all those who call on him.
Yahweh is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving kindness.
Yahweh is good to all. His tender mercies are over all his works.
R: Yahweh is near to all those who call on him.
Yahweh is righteous in all his ways, and gracious in all his works.
Yahweh is near to all those who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
R: Yahweh is near to all those who call on him.
Reading 2: PHIL 1:20C-24, 27A
The second reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians.
Now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose.
But I am hard pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
Yet to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake.
Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ.
Gospel of the Day: MT 20:1-16A
From the gospel scripture according to Matthew.
“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went their way.
Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.
About the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle. He said to them, ‘Why do you stand here all day idle?’_”
“They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’_” “He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.’_”
“When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.’_”
“When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius.
When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius.
When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household, saying, ‘These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat!’_”
“But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me for a denarius?
Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you.
Isn’t it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?’
So the last will be first, and the first last.”
