Daily Readings - Sun Oct 04 2020

¹I will sing to my beloved the canticle of my paternal cousin, about his vineyard. A vineyard was made for my beloved, at the horn in the son of oil²And he fenced it in, and he picked the stones out of it, and he planted it with the best vines, and he built a tower in the middle of it, and he set up a winepress within it. And he expected it to produce grapes, but it produced wild vines³Now then, inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah: judge between me and my vineyard⁴What more should I have done for my vineyard that I did not do for it? Should I not have expected it to produce grapes, though it produced wild vines⁵And now, I will reveal to you what I will do to my vineyard. I will take away its fence, and it will be plundered. I will pull down its wall, and it will be trampled⁶And I will make it desolate. It will not be pruned, and it will not be dug. And briers and thorns will rise up. And I will command the clouds not to rain upon it⁷For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel. And the man of Judah is his delightful seedling. And I expected that he would do judgment, and behold iniquity, and that he would do justice, and behold an outcry

Philippians

Chapter 4

⁶Be anxious about nothing. But in all things, with prayer and supplication, with acts of thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God⁷And so shall the peace of God, which exceeds all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus⁸Concerning the rest, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is chaste, whatever is just, whatever is holy, whatever is worthy to be loved, whatever is of good repute, if there is any virtue, if there is any praiseworthy discipline: meditate on these⁹All the things that you have learned and accepted and heard and seen in me, do these. And so shall the God of peace be with you

Matthew

Chapter 21

³³Listen to another parable. There was a man, the father of a family, who planted a vineyard, and surrounded it with a hedge, and dug a press in it, and built a tower. And he loaned it out to farmers, and he set out to sojourn abroad³⁴Then, when the time of the fruits drew near, he sent his servants to the farmers, so that they might receive its fruits³⁵And the farmers apprehended his servants; they struck one, and killed another, and stoned yet another³⁶Again, he sent other servants, more than before; and they treated them similarly³⁷Then, at the very end, he sent his son to them, saying: ‘They will revere my son.³⁸But the farmers, seeing the son, said among themselves: ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and then we will have his inheritance.³⁹And apprehending him, they cast him outside the vineyard, and they killed him⁴⁰Therefore, when the lord of the vineyard arrives, what will he do to those farmers?⁴¹They said to him, "He will bring those evil men to an evil end, and he will loan out his vineyard to other farmers, who shall repay to him the fruit in its time.⁴²Jesus said to them: "Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders have rejected has become the cornerstone. By the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?⁴³Therefore, I say to you, that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and it shall be given to a people who shall produce its fruits

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter powerful metaphors and exhortations that invite us to reflect on our relationship with God and our responsibilities as disciples. The first reading from Isaiah presents a vivid parable of a vineyard that fails to produce the fruit expected of it, leading to its eventual destruction. This vineyard symbolizes the people of Israel, who, despite God’s care and protection, turned away from justice and righteousness. The second reading from Philippians offers a different tone, urging us to cultivate peace and trust in God through prayer and gratitude, focusing our minds on what is true, just, and holy. The Gospel from Matthew continues the vineyard theme, with Jesus telling a parable that critiques the religious leaders of his time for their rejection of God’s messengers, including His own Son. This parable serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of faithlessness and the ultimate transfer of God’s kingdom to those who will bear its fruits. The readings are deeply interconnected, as they all revolve around themes of responsibility, faithfulness, and the consequences of our choices. Isaiah’s vineyard and Jesus’ parable both use the image of a vineyard to illustrate God’s expectations for His people and the gravity of failing to meet those expectations. While the first reading and the Gospel emphasize accountability, Philippians offers a complementary message of hope and peace, encouraging us to trust in God’s providence even amidst challenges. Together, these readings remind us that our faith is not merely a set of beliefs but a call to live in a way that reflects God’s justice, love, and holiness. As we apply these readings to our daily lives, we are invited to examine our own fruitfulness as disciples. Are we producing the fruits of justice, mercy, and love, or are we like the barren vineyard, failing to respond to God’s grace? The readings encourage us to cultivate mindfulness of God’s presence, to trust in His peace, and to focus our hearts and minds on what is truly worthwhile. Let us not become complacent or distracted by the world’s allurements, but instead, let us strive to be faithful stewards of the kingdom entrusted to us. May we turn to God in prayer, seek His will in all things, and bear fruit that reflects the love and light of Christ in our world.