Daily Readings - Sun Oct 08 2017
Isaiah
1I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside.2He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit.3"Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard.4What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad?5Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled.6I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it."7The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of his delight. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.
Philippians
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Matthew
33"Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.34When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.35"The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.36Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way.37Last of all, he sent his son to them. 'They will respect my son,' he said.38"But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance.'39So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.40"Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"41"He will bring those wretches to a wretched end," they replied, "and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time."42Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?43"Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of responsibility, faithfulness, and the ultimate trust in God’s plan. In the first reading, Isaiah uses the metaphor of a vineyard to describe God’s relationship with his people. The vineyard, symbolizing Israel, was carefully tended by God, who expected it to produce good fruit. Yet, instead of grapes, it yielded only wild grapes, representing the injustice and unfaithfulness of the people. This passage serves as a warning: God’s patience is not infinite, and there comes a time when he will hold us accountable for how we have stewarded the gifts and opportunities he has given us.
In the Gospel, Jesus expands on this theme through a parable about a vineyard owner and his tenants. The owner, representing God, entrusts his vineyard to tenant farmers, expecting them to produce fruit. When he sends his servants—and finally his own son—to collect the fruit, the tenants reject and kill them, motivated by greed and a desire to seize the inheritance for themselves. This parable is a direct critique of the religious leaders of Jesus’ time, who had failed to recognize and respond to God’s presence in their midst. The parable also reminds us that our response to God’s gifts and callings has consequences. Jesus’ reference to the rejected cornerstone underscores the idea that God’s plan will prevail, even if some reject it.
Paul’s letter to the Philippians offers a practical response to these themes. He encourages the community to cultivate a mindset of gratitude and trust in God, rather than anxiety. By focusing on what is true, noble, and praiseworthy, we align ourselves with God’s will and open ourselves to his peace. This teaching complements the other readings by emphasizing that our faithfulness and fruitfulness are rooted in our relationship with God. As we go about our daily lives, we are called to tend the “vineyard” of our lives—our relationships, our work, and our communities—with integrity and love. Let us ask ourselves: Are we producing the fruit of justice, compassion, and holiness? Or are we, like the tenants, resisting God’s grace and failing to recognize his presence in our lives? May we strive to be faithful stewards, trusting in God’s plan and yielding the fruit of a life lived in harmony with his will.