God’s Generosity

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

September 20, 2026

📖 LITURGICAL READINGS
First Reading	Isaiah 55:6-9
Responsorial Psalm	Psalm 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18
Second Reading	Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a
Gospel	Matthew 20:1-16a

🌱 Reflection

Author: Rev. Fr. Marc Louie M. Calo, MSP

We have a generous God. He is someone who continually gives and gives. Sometimes his ways of giving are something that transcends our understanding.

There are instances that we can truly understand his generous ways. Today’s Gospel is one example of something that goes beyond our notions of justice, yet when we truly examine it, it is his manner of doing things. The parable is about the workers hired to work in the Master’s vineyard. The workers were divided into those who were tasked to go first until the last, depending on the time when they were hired. The parable unfolded in saying that those who came in last were the ones paid first, having received a full day’s wage. The ones hired first thought that they would get a bigger pay, but felt disappointed that they too received only a full day’s wage. Our common understanding is to side with the disgruntled workers. Yet we get to understand the point of view of generosity when the Master spoke, especially on how he gets to decide on what to do with his money, and when he reminded them that they were still within the bounds of their agreement.

St. Gregory the Great reflected on this Gospel and shared that the hired workers from dawn until the penultimate time of the hiring were seen to be the workers sent by God to preach the Good News and be part of his kingdom. They were composed of servants of God, prophets, disciples, and apostles, etc. The last one hired represented the Gentiles, those people who came after they received the faith from the preaching of the apostles. He also added that we who came after them are still fruits of the preaching of the Good News of the Kingdom, and that now it is our turn to be tasked, “You too go into My vineyard.”

There are points that we can ponder about God’s generosity. It is good to see the movements within the Gospel. The first movement is that the Master, whom we can equate with God, took the initiative to go to the hired workers. Second, the workers looked at him and got the instructions, and off they went to work. Third, when the workers were summoned, they, especially the last ones, looked at their companions, instead of looking at the Master. This led them to conclude that they were somehow treated unjustly.

The first movement teaches us that our gratefulness stems from the realization that many gifts and good works come from God himself. When we fix our gaze on him, we get to do what we are called to do and be of service without complaining and having grudges. The second movement teaches us that our gratefulness to God’s generosity can also come from active listening to his instructions, living it out, witnessing to his wishes, and constantly carrying out our tasks until we get to be called to report. The third movement teaches us about a pitfall in our response, failing to be grateful and to appreciate his generosity. This happens when we focus not on the gifts but on others, and NOT the gift-giver.

If there are powerful realizations that we hope to carry with us from this Sunday, these can be, that we thank the Lord for his generosity in continuously ‘hiring’ us, inviting us to partake in his loving work of spreading the Good News of the kingdom to those in need, and that we can actively listen to his Word, so that we are capable of extending his generosity and love to those who are in most need.

To end this reflection, let us pay attention to God’s generosity as mirrored in the life of a mother. One day, she was asked who among her children she loves the most. Without hesitation, she replied: “I love all my children, and the one whom I get to love most is the one who, at certain moments in their life, needed my love most. I love them all.” God is generous to all. At certain moments in our lives, we can feel that His love is most needed in certain persons. This does not mean that his generosity is limited to certain persons. It is for all. He is a gracious God. Amen.