Judges 9:6-15 / Matthew 20:1-16
Whatever gifts and talents that we have, it is more than just for our own good.
As Christians, we believe that those gifts and talents are given to us by God.
Our mission as Christians is to develop our gifts and talents and to use them for the glory of God and for the good of others.
But we may be so focused on our gifts and talents that we end up being self-centred.
In the 1st reading, the story is about the trees choosing a king to rule over them.
The olive tree, the fig tree, the vine rejected the task to become the king of trees because they were not willing to give up what they had.
So eventually the trees asked the thorn bush, and it accepted.
But it would be a bad choice, and that is what Jotham was trying to warn the people when they chose Abimelech to be the king.
In the gospel parable, it was a different situation.
The workers were willing to work. Some were hired earlier, but there were also others who were hired later, even some at the last hour.
The teaching from the two readings is that whatever we have comes from God and it is for us to use our gifts and talents for the good of others.
And regardless how useful our gifts and talents may be, let us offer it to God and let us rejoice that God has called us to serve Him in others.