Gospel 1-28-24. Matt 20: 1-16. Septuagesima Sunday.
The kingdom of heaven is like to an householder, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
Simile est regnum caelorum homini patrifamilias, qui exiit primo mane conducere operarios in vineam suam.
2 And having agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Conventione autem facta cum operariis ex denario diurno, misit eos in vineam suam.
3 And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market place idle.
Et egressus circa horam tertiam, vidit alios stantes in foro otiosos,
4 And he said to them: Go you also into my vineyard, and I will give you what shall be just.
et dixit illis : Ite et vos in vineam meam, et quod justum fuerit dabo vobis.
5 And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did in like manner.
Illi autem abierunt. Iterum autem exiit circa sextam et nonam horam : et fecit similiter.
6 But about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he saith to them: Why stand you here all the day idle?
Circa undecimam vero exiit, et invenit alios stantes, et dicit illis : Quid hic statis tota die otiosi?
7 They say to him: Because no man hath hired us. He saith to them: Go you also into my vineyard.
Dicunt ei : Quia nemo nos conduxit. Dicit illis : Ite et vos in vineam meam.
8 And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward: Call the labourers and pay them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first.
Cum sero autem factum esset, dicit dominus vineae procuratori suo : Voca operarios, et redde illis mercedem incipiens a novissimis usque ad primos.
9 When therefore they were come, that came about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
Cum venissent ergo qui circa undecimam horam venerant, acceperunt singulos denarios.
10 But when the first also came, they thought that they should receive more: and they also received every man a penny.
Venientes autem et primi, arbitrati sunt quod plus essent accepturi : acceperunt autem et ipsi singulos denarios.
11 And receiving it they murmured against the master of the house,
Et accipientes murmurabant adversus patremfamilias,
12 Saying: These last have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us, that have borne the burden of the day and the heats.
dicentes : Hi novissimi una hora fecerunt, et pares illos nobis fecisti, qui portavimus pondus diei, et aestus.
13 But he answering said to one of them: Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny?
At ille respondens uni eorum, dixit : Amice, non facio tibi injuriam : nonne ex denario convenisti mecum?
14 Take what is thine, and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to thee.
Tolle quod tuum est, et vade : volo autem et huic novissimo dare sicut et tibi.
15 Or, is it not lawful for me to do what I will? is thy eye evil, because I am good?
Aut non licet mihi quod volo, facere? an oculus tuus nequam est, quia ego bonus sum?
16 So shall the last be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.
Sic erunt novissimi primi, et primi novissimi. Multi enim sunt vocati, pauci vero electi.
The Three Sundays preceeding Ash Wednesday are called Septuagesima, Sexagesima and Quinquagesima, which mean, respectively, the seventieth, sixtieth, and fiftieth day, that is, before Easter. They are mere names to correspond with the name Lent. (Quadragesima in Latin: fortieth) obviously they don't actually correspond with the period they indicate.
