20th September 2026
Reflection with readings below
God is a God of mercy, of forgiveness, of second chances.
Likewise we are called to be as generous and as forgiving. But to forgive, is not to condone or encourage the continuance of words and actions that are contri to God’s wisdom. Rather than condoning shortcomings – whether in ourselves or others – we are called to encourage and put into practice lifestyles that pursue God’s wisdom. And as the letter to the Philippians reminds us, our Christian calling will include sacrifice – will include putting the needs of others before our own.
We all have a duty to look at our own actions, to see what is contri to God’s wisdom, and to repent and reform our lives. We also have a duty to speak out when we see wrong happening in the lives of others, when we see wrong being condoned, and when we see systemic wrong.
In examining ourselves and the world around us we are not to judge according to our own desires and bias, but according to God’s wisdom – and we may be surprised, even discomforted, when this seems to favour others rather than ourselves; when this seems to involve us in making sacrifices, putting the needs of others before ourselves – or what can be even harder – putting the needs of others before our own families and communities. Here we might empathise with Jonah’s grievance that God, having judged the wicked behaviour of the Ninevites, is so quick to shower them with benefits when they repent, whilst Jonah goes unrewarded.
We might equally empathise with the all-day workers in the vineyard whose long and gruelling working receives no greater reward than the light-weight input of the latecomers. I think we might equally find it hard to persuade the all-day workers that they were not being penalised, to explain that in reality the whole community benefits when all are provided for equally. This understanding is countercultural to many norms of the present day. Indeed the political and economic systems of our world reinforce the idea – and practice – of rewarding those who are already advantaged, and disadvantaging those who are already struggling.
This week three such instances come to mind. The Guardian has been highlighting the newly published Register of British Slave Traders that reveals the widespread extent to which British individuals and organisations promoted and benefitted from the transatlantic slave trade. Profits accruing from the economic advantage of cheap labour plus the profits accruing from commandeering the natural resources of other countries through colonialism, boosted the British economy ensuring that we are today one of the richest nations in the world. Many will argue that as much as we abhor slavery, the era of the transatlantic slave trade is in the past and no one from the current generation can in any way be responsible for what happened then. Nevertheless the economic well being we enjoy is rooted in those profits. Should we not then be pursuing restorative justice?
Next week at the UN conference in New York, members will be considering the creation of an International Panel on Inequality- similar to the International Panel on Climate Change – to find a way of reversing the acceleration distribution of wealth across the globe. Between 2000 and 2024, the richest 1 % of the global population has captured 41 % of all new wealth, while the bottom 50 % saw their wealth increase by just 1 %. And 83% of countries, representing about 90 % of the world’s population, have highly unequal societies. Further data suggests that accumulated and inherited wealth — with an estimated $70 trillion expected to be passed on over the next decade — as a key driver entrenching inequality and undermining social mobility, fairness, and opportunity for lower-income populations. Inequality invariably leads to democratic decline, political instability and the potential for conflict. Would we be willing to see a global redistribution of wealth and resources as well as a redistribution of wealth within our own society? Should we be willing to see our personal wealth taxed?
Nepal is seeking a payout from the Climate loss and damage fund to enable them to rebuild lives and infrastructure destroyed by the glacial tsunami. This fund was established in 2022 to pay for loss and damage that results from climate change events, with the intention that the developed nations would each make appropriate financial contributions. Those nations who had contributed most to the climate crisis through – and benefited most from – decades of coal, oil and gas fuelled industrialisation, would contribute most to the fund. However many nations, including the UK, reneged on the scale of their promises, and the fund is already struggling to pay out on the 100 plus prior claims already in the queue ahead of Nepal. Again the question has to be are we willing to forego some of our wealth and income to aid those most impacted by the consequences of our actions?
In each example I would argue that God’s justice demands a self sacrificing generosity. Equally I would suggest that to do so will not only benefit the recipients, but ourselves too. For it is the whole community benefits when all are provided for equally. Like the all-day workers in the vineyard we may initially resent what is being asked of us, but when we step back and see the benefits of the in-coming of God’s kingdom here on earth, we will share in the rejoicing.
How do we achieve this in practice I’m not sure. It could be by giving sacrificial to appropriate charities. It could be by campaigning alongside groups such as Christian Aid, Oxfam and Global Justice. It could be by campaigning directly to change government policy. It could be by encouraging and supporting the reparative justice objectives of the Church of England’s Spire Project. It could be by talking with our family, with our friends, normalising the concept, rooting it as a key part of our Christian discipleship.
What is important is that is those with the most wealth and income who contribute, not those with the least. And that it is those with least who then benefit.
Jonah 3:10-4:11
When God saw what the people of Nineveh did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. And now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city.
The Lord God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?” And he said, “Yes, angry enough to die.” Then the Lord said, “You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labour and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?”
Psalm 145:1-8
1 I will exalt you, O God my King, *
and bless your Name for ever and ever.
2 Every day will I bless you *
and praise your Name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; *
there is no end to his greatness.
4 One generation shall praise your works to another *
and shall declare your power.
5 I will ponder the glorious splendour of your majesty *
and all your marvellous works.
6 They shall speak of the might of your wondrous acts, *
and I will tell of your greatness.
7 They shall publish the remembrance of your great goodness; *
they shall sing of your righteous deeds.
8 The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, *
slow to anger and of great kindness.
Philippians 1:21-30
To me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.
Only, 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, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well– since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
Matthew 20:1-16
Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 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?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 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.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘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.’ 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? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
