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October 8th 2023Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 21:33-43: He will lease his vineyard to other tenants.

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/100823.cfm

The Parable of the Tenants.

Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes? Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit" (Mt 21:42-43).

In this story, we learn about God's goodness and patience towards people. He gave a special vineyard to His chosen people, hoping they would cooperate. However, the people did not keep their end of the bargain. Despite God's numerous warnings through prophets, they ignored them and even mistreated them.

As Catholic men, we are now the followers of Jesus. We also have a responsibility to work for God in His "vineyard." We should ask ourselves if we are sincerely fulfilling our duty and producing the "grapes" that God expects from us. If we can confidently say yes, then we should thank God and pray to continue on this path. But if our answer is no, we should take this story as a warning. Just as the unfaithful people in the story faced consequences, we too may face consequences if we persist in our unfaithfulness. However, it's never too late to make things right with God. We should take the opportunity to do so today and not delay until tomorrow.