- 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
St Francis of Assisi
Readings: Isaiah 5:1–7; Psalm 80; Philippians 4:6–9; Matthew 21:33–43
Today the image of the vineyard runs through the Word of God as an image of love received and fruit expected. Isaiah describes God preparing His vineyard with extraordinary care: He chooses the ground, clears it, plants choice vines, builds a tower and prepares the winepress. Everything necessary has been given, because Israel is His “cherished plant.” Yet the vineyard produces wild grapes. Jesus takes up the same image in the Gospel, but now the problem is not the vineyard itself: it is the tenants who begin to behave as though what was entrusted to them belongs to them. They want the vineyard but reject the owner; they enjoy its gifts but refuse to give its fruits. This is also a danger in discipleship. Our life, faith, abilities, relationships, responsibilities, opportunities, and even our time are a vineyard entrusted to us by God. We are not owners; we are stewards, and every gift of God carries within it a call to bear fruit. But what fruit? Saint Paul gives us a beautiful answer: whatever is true, honourable, just, pure, lovely, gracious and worthy of praise. And he shows us where such fruit begins: not in anxiety, but in prayer, thanksgiving and trust, allowing “the peace of God” to guard our hearts in Christ. Saint Francis of Assisi became extraordinarily fruitful precisely because he stopped treating life as something to possess and received everything as gift, God, creation, the poor, his brothers and sisters, even suffering and death. The Kingdom bears fruit wherever what has been received from God is returned to Him through love. The question, therefore, is not simply how much God has given me, but what His gifts are becoming in my hands. Let’s reflect: When God looks at the vineyard He has entrusted to me, my faith, relationships, responsibilities, gifts and opportunities, what fruits of truth, peace, gratitude, justice and love does He find growing there?
Don Giorgio