October 5, 2014

27th Sunday, Ordinary Time

October 5, 2014:  27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Look

  • 'Grapes' pin: Song of the vineyard (1st reading); Israel, the Lord's vineyard (psalm); parable of the vineyard (gospel)
  • 'Phone' tie bar:  "Give us life, and we'll call your name" (psalm)
  • 'Peace sign' tie bar:  When you make your request, God's peace will guard you (2nd reading)
  • 'Stone' tie pin:  "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone" (gospel)

Listen

 For 2nd reading:
From Ed Bolduc's blog (see it for more songs and more about these):
For psalm:
Pope Francis

 Vigil homily/prayer for Synod:  Each person needs stability, an open door, someone to weave and share life with.  With spouses' communion, openness to life, mutual protection, memory, and support of and transmission of faith to their children, the family remains an unparalleled school of humanity and indispensable contribution to society.

 In the Synod we must listen to the Lord's beat and perceive the “scent” of the people to be permeated with their joys, hopes, sadness, and distress; then we'll know how to propose the good news of the family credibly.  The Gospel has strength, tenderness, and salvation to fulfill our deepest needs!  We the Church are a living, effective sign and sacrament of God's saving work of mercy and grace.

 Holy Spirit, help the Synod Fathers listen as God, hear the people's cry, and breathe God's will and call.  May our discussion be sincere, open, and fraternal, so we may responsibly address today's questions.  May we fix our gaze on Jesus and think, live, and relate like him, so we may find pastoral paths to renew Church and society, rediscover the way of a reconciled, merciful, poor Church, and overcome challenges.  May the Spirit blow on the Synod, the Church, and everyone, undoing knots preventing encounter, healing wounds, rekindling hope, and granting creative charity to love as Jesus did....

 Synod opening homily to bishops:  The Lord’s vineyard, his people, is his “dream”; he nurtured it with love, so that it can yield abundant fruits of justice.  But God’s dream is thwarted.  Jesus was addressing the experts and managers of his time to whom he entrusted his people; it's leaders' job to nurture with freedom, creativity, and hard work.  But the farmers took over the vineyard and prevented God from realizing his dream.  The temptation to greed for money and power is ever present, and evil pastors lay intolerable burdens on others to satisfy it.

 We in the Synod are called to work for the Lord’s vineyard. Synod Assemblies are to nurture the Lord’s vineyard, to help realize his dream.  Today the Lord is asking us to care for the family, an integral part of his loving plan.  We sinners can be tempted to “take over” the vineyard because of our greed.  God’s dream always clashes with servants' hypocrisy; we can thwart it if we don't let the Spirit guide us.  The Spirit gives wisdom to enable us to work generously and creatively with freedom and humility.  Our hearts and minds must be kept in Christ by God's peace so our thoughts and plans may correspond to God’s dream to form a people who produce the fruits of the kingdom.

Read

  • Is 5:1-7  My friend spaded and cleared his vineyard and planted choice vines, but it yielded wild grapes.  "What more was I to do for my vineyard?  Why did it yield wild grapes?  I'll give it to grazing and let it be trampled!"  The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel, and the people are his cherished plant....
    Wordle: Readings 10-5-14
  • Ps 80:9, 12-16, 19-20  "The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel."  A vine you transplanted.  Why have you broken down its walls?  O Lord, take care of this vine, and protect what you planted, the son of man whom you made strong.  Give us new life, and we'll call on your name.  Restore and save us.
  • Phil 4:6-9  Have no anxiety, but make your requests known to God; then God's peace will guard you in Christ.  Think on what's true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, excellent, and praiseworthy.  Do what you've learned, received, heard, and seen in me, and God will be with you.
  • Mt 21:33-43  Jesus / chief priests and elders:  "A landowner planted vineyard, prepared it, leased it to tenants, then at vintage time sent servants for his produce, but the tenants beat and killed them.  He sent other servants, but they treated them the same.  Finally, he sent his son, thinking, 'They'll respect my son.'  But when the tenants saw him, they said, 'Let's kill him and acquire his inheritance’ and killed him.  What will the owner do?" / "Kill those wretched men and lease his vineyard to others who will give him the produce." / "Scripture says, the Lord made the stone the builders rejected the cornerstone.  The kingdom will be taken from you and given to those who will produce fruit."
Reflect
    • Creighton:  To Matthew, the tenants are Israel's leaders, and the landowner's rejected and abused agents are the prophets; he was repudiating the Jews' leaders.  It's amazing Israel preserved the inflammatory prophetic books that repeatedly accused and denounced them; they refused to hide from or forget the call to fidelity.  The Isaiah reading was originally a song sung at vintage festivals, but its end equating the vineyard with Israel turned it into an expression of God’s judgment.  Don't assume we're the ones producing fruit, but hear the criticism, face the call to honesty, repentance, and holiness, and trust in God's mercy.
    • One Bread One Body:  "Grapes of wrath?"  As the landowner gave his tenants many chances to give him the yield, the Lord has given us many chances to bear fruit.  As the owner sent his son to his tenants, God sent his Son to us.  Jesus promised that those who live in him will produce abundant fruit (Jn 15:5)....
    • Passionist:  Am I producing fruits of the kingdom?  I mustn't be anxious about it but rather be attentive, pray for wisdom, grace, and strength to do his will.
    • DailyScripture.net:  Jesus' parable tells of God's generosity and trust.  As the vineyard was well equipped and the owner left it in the tenants' hands, God gives us what we need and trusts us.  As the owner gives the tenants many chances but in the end renders judgment, God is both patient and just.  God entrusts me with gifts, grace, and particular work in his vineyard and promises it won't be in vain if I persevere (1 Cor 15:58).  Do I labor with hope and confidence?  "Thank you, Lord, for the benefits you've given us; for the pains and insults you've borne for us.  O merciful redeemer, friend, and brother, may we know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, for your sake." (paraphrase of prayer of St. Richard of Chichester, from which comes Day by Day)
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