LITURGY IN FOCUS

CALL TO WORSHIP & CENTERING PRAYERS

Call to worship

God generously calls everyone to salvation. No one is first in the kingdom of God — and no one is last. Those who have labored long receive the same reward as those who come to know the Lord later in their lives. God’s justice and judgment is very much unlike our sense of fairness and justice. God’s ways are always filled with tender compassion, mercy and love.
To the point: This gospel raises the question of who is first and who is last in the kingdom of heaven. Those laborers are last who shift their focus from doing the work of the landowner to grumbling about the amount of wages others are receiving. Those are first who do not labor in the vineyard because of the amount of wages, but simply because they are privileged to share in the work of the landowner. Indeed, simply being called to the privilege of sharing in Jesus’ work of salvation is its own recompense. The kingdom of heaven is revealed by those who choose this work. Do we?
Connecting the Gospel (Matt.20: 1-16) to the first reading: While Isaiah is telling one truth, namely, that God’s thoughts and ways are not ours, Jesus is telling another truth, that we are called to participate in God’s thoughts and ways by working for the coming of the kingdom.
Connecting the Gospel to experience: Being completely lost in something we enjoy doing very much is its own reward. How much more so when we stay focused on following Jesus faithfully.

Centering prayers

The Gospel

(Matthew 20: 1-16a)
“When those who had started about 5 o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage.”
O, You know us all: each one’s wants and needs.
(some more, some less.) Our pay will be your call,
to the vineyard, to the locus of grace  where you
heap the fortune of everlasting life and love on us.
Thank you for your wonderfully constant call to all  to work there.

The First Reading

(Isaiah 55: 6-9)
“Call on him while he is near.”
Seek the Lord while he may be found,
search for him at break of day,
call to him in the night,
look for him in work and play.
God, let us look for you always and everywhere …
in your call to us to fix our planet
and broken social justice systems,
missing not one detail of your
presence in our life.

The Second Reading

(Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a)
“Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.”
Be at one with our selves, Christ.
When the world sees us, let it behold
You and your glory within everything we do and are.

Copyright © 2020, Anne M. Osdieck

Photos by Karen Elacqua

God’s continual invitation into the vineyards of work and faith
make every moment of day and night glorious.

Music for reflection

Sir Edward Elgar — In Moonlight

Delius: Walk to the Paradise Garden