27TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 2 / (Green)
Ps 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20
The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
1st Reading: Is 5:1-7
Let me sing for my beloved my lovesong about his vineyard.
My beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up, cleared the stones, and planted the choicest vines. He built there a watchtower and hewed out a wine press as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only wild grapes. Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more was there to do that I have not done for my vineyard? Good grapes was the yield I expected. Why did it yield only sour grapes? Now I will let you know what I am going to do with my vineyard: I will remove its hedge and it will be burned; I will break down its wall and it will be trampled on. I will make it a wasteland, I will neither prune nor hoe it, and briers and thorns will grow there. I command the clouds, as well, not to send rain on it. The vineyard of Yahweh Sabaoth is the people of Israel; and the people of Judah are his pleasant vine. He looked for justice, but found bloodshed; He looked for righteousness but heard cries of distress.
2nd Reading: Phil 4:6-9
Do not be anxious about anything. In everything, resort to prayer and supplication, together, with thanksgiving, and bring your requests before God. Then, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with whatever is truthful, holy, just, pure, lovely and noble. Be mindful of whatever deserves praise and admiration. Put into practice what you have learned from me, what I passed on to you, what you heard from me or saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.
Gospel: Mt 21:33-43
Listen to another example: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a hole for the wine press, built a watchtower, leased the vineyard to tenants, and then, went to a distant country. When harvest time came, the landowner sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the harvest. But the tenants seized his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.
Again, the owner sent more servants; but they were treated in the same way.
Finally, he sent his son, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.‘ But when the tenants saw the son, they thought, ‘This is the one who is to inherit the vineyard. Let us kill him, and his inheritance will be ours.‘ So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
Now, what will the owner of the vineyard do with the tenants when he comes?” They said to him, ”He will bring those evil men to an evil end, and lease the vineyard to others, who will pay him in due time.”
And Jesus replied, ”Have you never read what the Scriptures say? The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This was the Lord‘s doing, and we marvel at it. Therefore I say to you: the kingdom of heaven will be taken from you, and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
REFLECTION:
Read: Both the first and the third readings speak of the ingratitude of the people of God towards Him who has brought them into being and provides for them on a daily basis. The second reading invites us to fill our minds with noble virtues so that we bear good fruits and remain in peace with God.
Reflect: How disheartening it is to receive ingratitude and hate in return for doing good? It has been the fate of many good men and women who pledged their lives in service of others. However, many of them continued to do good despite negative treatment because their hearts were filled with whatever is truthful, holy, just, pure, lovely, and noble, and they had the peace of God. How do we compare with them?
Pray: Pray for the peace of God to reign in your heart.
Act: Do an act of good without expecting gratitude or favors.
Daily Reflection
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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Readings and Reflections
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