WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM JONAH - September 21st homily A READING FROM HEBREW SCRIPTURE: Jonah 3:10-4:11 New Century Version* 10 When God saw what the people [of Nineveh] did, that they stopped doing evil, he changed his mind and did not do what he had warned. He did not punish them. 4 But this made Jonah very unhappy, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD, “When I was still in my own country this is what I said would happen, and that is why I quickly ran away to Tarshish. I knew that you are a God who is kind and shows mercy. You don’t become angry quickly, and you have great love. I knew you would choose not to cause harm. 3 So now I ask you, LORD, please kill me. It is better for me to die than to live.” 4 Then the LORD said, “Do you think it is right for you to be angry?” 5 Jonah went out and sat down east of the city. There he made a shelter for himself and sat in the shade, waiting to see what would happen to the city. 6 The LORD made a plant grow quickly up over Jonah, which gave him shade and helped him to be more comfortable. Jonah was very pleased to have the plant. 7 But the next day when the sun rose, God sent a worm to attack the plant so that it died. 8 As the sun rose higher in the sky, God sent a very hot east wind to blow, and the sun became so hot on Jonah’s head that he became very weak and wished he were dead. He said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you think it is right for you to be angry about the plant?” Jonah answered, “It is right for me to be angry! I am so angry I could die!” 10 And the LORD said, “You are so concerned for that plant even though you did nothing to make it grow. It appeared one day, and the next day it died. 11 Then shouldn’t I show concern for the great city Nineveh, which has more than one hundred twenty thousand people who do not know right from wrong, and many animals, too?” A READING FROM CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURE: Philippians 1:21-30 Contemporary English Version 21 If I live, it will be for Christ, and if I die, I will gain even more. 22 I don’t know what to choose. I could keep on living and doing something useful. 23 It is a hard choice to make. I want to die and be with Christ, because that would be much better. 24-25 But I know that all of you still need [direction]. That’s why I am sure I will stay on to help you grow and be happy in your faith. 26 Then, when I visit you again, you will have good reason to take great pride in Christ Jesus because of [what you have learned.] 27 Above all else, you must live in a way that brings honor to the good news about Christ. Then, whether I visit you or not, I will hear that all of you think alike. I will know that you are working together and that you are struggling side by side to get others to believe the good news. 28 Be brave when you face your enemies. Your courage will show them that they are going to be [overcome], and it will show you that you will be saved. God will make all of this happen, 29 and he has blessed you. Not only do you have faith in Christ, but you suffer for him. 30 You saw me suffer, and you still hear about my troubles. Now you must suffer in the same way. A READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPELS: Matthew 20:1-16 New Revised Standard Version For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3When he went out about nine oclock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4and he said to them, You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right. So they went. 5When he went out again about noon and about three oclock, he did the same. 6And about five oclock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, Why are you standing here idle all day? 7They said to him, Because no one has hired us. He said to them, You also go into the vineyard. 8When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first. 9When those hired about five oclock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12saying, 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. 13But he replied to one of them, Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous? 16So the last will be first, and the first will be last.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 17:57:56 +0000
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