St. Mary's Catholic Church of Tomahawk, WI

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

We are in the twenty seventh ordinary Sunday of year A. The first reading tells us about the parable of a landowner who planted a vineyard and toiled but it yielded wild grapes. This is attributed by the prophet to the people of Israel and Judah. They, instead of producing the fine grapes of justice and righteousness, produced the wild grapes of lawlessness and oppression of the weak. How could this parable be applied to our present situation across the globe? What fruits does our Lord wants us to produce?

The second reading is a pattern of advice to the Philippians, a community St. Paul deeply loved, to continue its path of faithful living. St. Paul provides instruction on how the entire community might most effectively pray, think and act. The exhortation to anxiety and rejoicing was expressed through prayer with thanksgiving. The result will be that they will be filled with peace and the Lord will guard their hearts and minds. How wonderful, rich and profound is this message of St. Paul to all of us.

The gospel account is a confrontation of Jesus to the religious authorities, through the parable of the tenants in the vineyard. The historical intent of the parable is to interpret the leaders’ rejection and treatment of the prophets and of Jesus who failed to produce the fruits expected by the landowner. Hence, eventually the vineyard is given to new tenants who will produce fruits and give it to the owner. This explains the foundational role of Jesus in God’s salvific plan. What is our role in the vineyard of the Lord?

Fr. Aloysius Royan Anthony