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Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

September 20, 2026

Fr. John Colacino C.PP.S.

Introit

Collect

O God, who founded all the commands of your sacred Law
upon love of you and of our neighbor,
grant that, by keeping your precepts,
we may merit to attain eternal life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Reading Is 55:6-9

Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. 9 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

R/. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

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

My brothers and sisters: 20 It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which I prefer. 23 I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; 24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. 27 Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel.

Alleluia cf. Acts 16:14b

Gospel Mt 20:1-16a

Jesus spoke this parable to his disciples. 1 “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5 “When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, 12 ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Catena Nova

The Gospel story about the vineyard workers is appropriate to this time of year, the season of the earthly grape harvest. But there is also another harvest, the spiritual one, at which God rejoices in the fruits of his vineyard.... At the end of the world all Christians, called at the eleventh hour, will receive the joy of resurrection....Although through diversity of merit some will shine more brilliantly than others, in the possession of eternal life there will be equality. …Whatever may be the individual’s degree of glory, each one will live in it eternally. (St. Augustine).

Because one person is called to the good life in childhood, another in youth, another in adulthood, another in later life, another in old age, the labourers are as it were called at different hours to the Vineyard. Therefore, dearly beloved, look to your manner of living, and see whether even now you are labourers of God (Pope St Gregory the Great).

How different persons will then seem, from what they seem now! How will the last be first, and the first last! Then those whom the world looked up to, will be brought low, and those who were little esteemed, will be exalted. Then will it be found who are the real movers in the world's affairs, those who sustained the cause of the Church or who influenced the fortunes of empires, were not the great and powerful, not those whose names are known in the world, but the humble despised followers of the Lamb, the meek saint, the man full of prayer and good works whom the world passed by; the hidden band of saintly witnesses, whose voice day by day ascended to Christ; the sufferers who seemed to be living for nothing; the poor whom the proud world thought but an offence and a nuisance (St. John Henry Newman).

It makes no difference whether people are good or evil in the sight of God, because they are all in need of God's mercy. It makes no difference whether they have laboured long or briefly in the vineyard, the first is as much in need of divine grace as the last. It is because the first are so greatly tempted to forget this that they frequently become last and the last first (Reinhold Niebuhr).

Parables aim to subvert our old consciousness and offer us a way through by utterly reframing our worldview. So often the biblical text is not a transformative document and does not bring about a “new creation,” because we pull it inside of our own security systems and what we call “common sense.” At that point, no divine breakthrough is possible. Frankly speaking, much of Scripture, then, has become largely harmless and forgettable (Richard Rohr).

I think all of us identify with the grumbling workers. The master sees the problem and seems to shrug his shoulders and say with a divine smile: “This is how I operate. Get used to it.” God’s economy takes a lot of getting used to. We are wise to start practicing now (Andrew Marr).

Jesus wants to make us contemplate the gaze of that landowner: the gaze with which he looks upon each of the labourers searching for work and calls them to go to his vineyard. It is a gaze which is filled with attention, kindness. It is a gaze which calls, invites one to get up and begin a journey because he wants life for each of us; he wants a full, committed life, safe from emptiness and inertia. God excludes no one and wants each of us to achieve his or her fullness. This is the love of our God, of our God who is Father (Pope Francis).

Homily

I read this week of record attendance at Sunday Mass on the campus of Ohio State University. A number of these students are among the surge of young converts who entered the church last Easter. Dioceses across the country noted an average 38% increase in new converts compared to the previous year. And so they are among those whom hopefully, will work longer in the Lord's vineyard. Then there's the Good Thief to whom Jesus promised paradise that very day — one of those "deathbed conversions" which have dotted church history like Buffalo Bill who as baptized a day before he died or the playwright Oscar Wilde received into the church and given the last sacraments by a Passionist priest the morning before his death or celebrities like John Wayne shortly before his death and Bob Hope seven years before. All these among those who entered the vineyard late working far less than others.

But no matter. For as St. Augustine says when it comes to the reward of our labors, "all will have the same share…in the possession of eternal life there will be equality. What is endless for all will not be longer for one and shorter for another. What has no bounds will have none either for you or for me….where eternal life is concerned there can be no question of more or less for anyone" (Sermon 87). I can't imagine anyone petty enough to begrudge this to the late arrivals I mentioned. When it comes to spiritual matters I think most of us are willing to allow the owner of the vineyard his wonted generosity with no cries of injustice.

But when it comes to justice this side of eternity, well, our judgements might just beg to quibble. For justice in earthly matters is a funny thing. And hard to measure. It often means someone gets what they deserve. Which is true — justice is about equity. That's why its symbol is a scale — where things are nicely balanced. But justice is often confused with vengeance — most often meant for criminal offenders. Justice is "served," they say when a defendant gets what's coming to him or her. And however much lip service we might pay to mercy, some kind of moral compass inside of us recoils if their "just deserts" aren't meted out. That's why most people shrug at new like multiple executions were carried out in the U.S. in as many states within a 24-hour window this past week.

But that's all on the debit side of the ledger. There's another side to justice, isn't there? And that's what's owed to us in justice for some benefit we've provided to others. That usually involves money — whether just compensation or fair prices. There's nothing worse than feeling cheated out of something that's rightfully owed us, or when we've overpaid for some product or service. Every time I go shopping these days I feel ripped off by merchants' price gouging and their blaming it on "inflation" or the "supply chain." But when it comes to a just wage for workers in the face of corporate greed and massive wealth inequality in this country, I'm all for their right to strike. That's been part of Catholic social teaching since the days of Leo XIII.

Of course, what really rankles our sense of justice on the other side of the ledger is when people get what they don't deserve. And there's no shortage of outrage in the news about such freeloaders looking for a free ride at taxpayers' expense. Beginning with the proverbial "free lunch." I heard from more than one family member who was upset when New York State started to provide free school meals to everyone regardless of income and they're not especially concerned about more than 1.2 million children who've lost SNAP benefits since July.

One reason for this — beyond the provisions in the so-called Big Beautiful Bill — is fear receiving eligible benefits might draw attention to parents' immigration status: the "latecomers" to our vineyard targeted and rounded up by roving ICE squads often without due process or knowing the fate that awaits them. News reports this week told how detainees at the infamous Alligator Alcatraz in Florida — thankfully, now closed despite its billion dollar price tag — used "small metal enclosures" covering 18 square feet that presented "significant risks" to detainee's health and safety. Then there's the hundreds of thousands of Haitians facing deportation after the Supreme Court allowed the termination of their Temporary Protected Status. You know, the ones we were told during a presidential debate were "eating the dogs, eating the cats" in Ohio. While they might return to their own country they will often face a high risk of abduction, extortion and gang violence in the belief they have access to cash from their time spent in in this country. Their fate is unlike "third country" deportations — people sent to places where they have no connection — including very dangerous ones like the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan — all known for armed conflict, political instability and human rights abuses and where they will remain in limbo and effectively stateless.

Now let's look now at divine justice as described in the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard beginning with the prophet Isaiah's warning: My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts (I). And even if, like with most parables, there's an element of exaggeration designed to make a point by way of contrast, we'd better be careful not to make this an excuse for disregarding the heart of the teaching — which in this case is the clincher at the end, Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous? (G)

Which ought to challenge every tendency to stinginess, grievance and resentment toward those we feel are getting more than their fair share, while leaving the rest of us shortchanged. Much like the oft-repeated saying, the last will be first, and the first will be last (G), it should serve as a warning about who will be first in line — and last — when the kingdom of God appears. In the meantime, Paul's advice is always timely for both private and public policy: Conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ. (II). Who lives and reigns, world without end. Amen.

Intercessions (Joe Milner; The Sunday Website)

For all who are seeking God: that the Spirit of God will lead them into an encounter with God and open them to God’s presence and action in their lives.

For freedom from envy: that we may appreciate the gifts and blessings that others receive and rejoice in their success.

For all who are working to aid those in need, particularly rescue workers: that God will give them strength, wisdom, and protection from harm.

For all who have been cheated out of their wages: that God will bring justice for those who have been defrauded and help them in their attempts to reclaim what they are justly owed.

For all who are unemployed or underemployed: that God will open opportunities for them to use their gifts and talents for the good of society and not allow their time and energy to be idled away.

For an end to violence in local communities: that God will open the hearts of local leaders to address the injustices in their communities and promote dialogue and new understanding amongst citizens.

For greater stewardship of creation: that God will impel our hearts to oppose the misuse of earth's resources and empower us to work tirelessly to protect the magnificence of nature for future generations.

God most high, your ways are not our ways, for your kindness is lavished equally upon all. Teach us to welcome your mercy toward others, even as we hope to receive mercy ourselves. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. (ICEL; 1998)

Offertory Hymn (Roc O’Connor)

Seek the Lord, while He may be found;
call to Him while he is still near.

Today is the day, and now the proper hour
to forsake our sinful lives and turn to the Lord.

As high as the sky is above the earth,
so high above our ways, the ways of the Lord.

Finding the Lord, let us cling to Him.
His words, his ways lead us to life.

Someday we'll live in the house of God,
Gaze on His face and praise His name.

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