The following Homily is provided by Friar Sidney as a way
     of enriching the ministry of the Word as presented through
     this web site.  Friar Sidney, who has spent much of his
     ministry in India, is currently a Professor of Philosophy
     in Rome.  He can be reached at smascarenhas@ofm.org.  The texts
     used by Friar Sydney come from the Roman Lectionary - which in
     most points agrees with the Revised Common Lectionary.


READINGS:  
Isaiah 5:1-7.  Philipppians 4:6-9.  Matthew 21:33-43.


INTRODUCTION:
Let us meditate today on God's love for us.


HOMILY:
There are few passages in the Bible which speak so poignantly of
God's loving care for each of us and for His People.

The Church, the People of God, is God's vineyard.  God, this
reading tells us, cleared it of stones.  He dug the soil.  He
planted choice vines in it.  After all that care, He did expect
good fruit.  But, all He got was unpalatable fruit.

God created the Earth and all that moves in it.  He created Man
and Woman as partners in His own Image and Likeness.  In other
words, He wanted our Society to be a sign of Peace and Love.  But
is it not true that our Society creates is hatred, discord and
injustice.

He had shared with us the sense for Truth.  He had made us noble.
He had given us the desire for the good and the pure.  He had
revealed to us Love and Honour.  But how far do we care for these
gifts of His?

God expected a sense for justice in our Society.  But all around
us we see bloodshed.  God gave us integrity, but all around us we
create distress.  He planted His word in our hearts as the
foundation stone of our society but we only care our egos.

The stone was often used in the Old Testament as a sort of
permanent witness to the relationship God had with Man.  So often
we have prayed the psalm: 

     "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor
     in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the
     watchmen stand guard in vain." Ps 127:1

The stone meant that the whims and fancies of our imagination
would not wear out the Word and Promise of God.  But, we have
rejected that stone for our whims and fancies.  Hence, in today's
readings, we hear God asking us what He should do.

Is it not great?  The Lord of all Creation is asking directions
from His creature.  And is it not true that we should also
likewise be asking Him directions for our life?  Should we not
compass our society according to His directions? 

Shalom!


copyright - Friar Sydney Mascarenhas and  Rev. Richard J. Fairchild 1999 - 2005
             please acknowledge the appropriate author if citing these sermons.