Daily Readings - Sun Oct 08 2023
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 relationship between God and his people, as well as our own response to his gifts and call. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a parable about a vineyard that symbolizes the house of Israel. The vineyard, carefully planted and tended by the Lord, was expected to produce good fruit, but instead it yielded wild grapes. This serves as a critique of Israel’s failure to live according to God’s justice and holiness. The second reading from Philippians offers a different tone, encouraging us to trust in God’s providence and to focus on what is true, just, and holy. Paul reminds us that anxiety can be overcome by prayer and gratitude, leading to a peace that surpasses understanding. Finally, the Gospel from Matthew presents another parable about a vineyard, this time focusing on the son who is rejected and killed by the tenants. Jesus uses this story to critique the religious leaders of his time for their rejection of God’s messengers and ultimately for rejecting him, the Son.
These readings are deeply connected. Both Isaiah and Matthew use the vineyard as a metaphor for God’s people and the expectations that come with being chosen by God. In Isaiah, the vineyard’s failure to produce good fruit leads to judgment, while in Matthew, the rejection of the son leads to the transfer of the kingdom to others who will bear fruit. Philippians, while not directly about a vineyard, complements these readings by offering a spiritual response to the challenges of living as God’s people. It encourages us to trust in God’s plan and to cultivate virtues that reflect our identity as his children.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to examine how we respond to God’s gifts and call. Are we producing the fruit of holiness, justice, and love, or are we like the wild grapes in Isaiah’s vineyard? Do we trust in God’s providence, as Paul encourages, or do we allow anxiety and doubt to consume us? The Gospel reminds us that being part of God’s kingdom comes with great responsibility. We are called to be faithful stewards of the gifts we have received and to bear fruit in accordance with God’s will. Let us turn to prayer, thanksgiving, and a focus on what is good, trusting that God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. May we strive to live as true vineyards of the Lord, bearing fruit that reflects his love and mercy.