24/09/2026
Peace to everyone! Let us do what is good as the Lord expects from us...
October 4, 2026: Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel: MATTHEW 21: 33-43
33 Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: "Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a w**e press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
Q: To whom did Jesus relate the parable? What was the parable about? What did the landowner do to his vineyard?
34 When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
Q: What stage of the vineyard was near? What did the landowner do?
35 But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned.
Q: But what did the tenants do?
36 Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way.
Q: What did the landowner do next? But what was the action of the tenants?
37 Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, 'They will respect my son.'
Q: Who did the landowner finally send? What was his thought?
38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.'
Q: But what was in the mind of the tenants when they saw the son?
39 They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
Q: So what did the tenants do?
40 What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?"
Q: What did Jesus ask to the chief priests and elders?
41 They answered him, "He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times."
Q: What was their answer?
42 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?
Q: With that, what Scripture passage did Jesus remind them?
43 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."
Q: What was the conclusion of Jesus about this parable?
Note: The landowner is the Lord while the vineyard is the house of Israel. The tenants are the chief priests and elders of Israel who became arrogant and did not listen to the Lord anymore. They became greedy. The servants are prophets and the son is Jesus. Jesus is the stone rejected by the chief priests and elders but has become the cornerstone of salvation.
Key points/summary: vineyard of the Lord; provided everything; tenants; obtain produce; rejected the servants and the son; arrogant and greedy; did not listen to the Lord; kingdom taken away from the chief priests and elders; given to those who will produce fruit
Reading 1: ISAIAH 5: 1-7
1 Let me now sing of my friend, my friend's song concerning his vineyard. My friend had a vineyard on a fertile hillside;
Q: What was the topic of the song about Isaiah’s friend?
2 he spaded it, cleared it of stones, and planted the choicest vines; within it he built a watchtower, and hewed out a w**e press. Then he looked for the crop of grapes, but what it yielded was wild grapes.
Q: What did the friend do to his vineyard? But what was the yield of his crop?
3 Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard:
Q: Now, to whom was the Lord speaking to? What did He want from them?
4 What more was there to do for my vineyard that I had not done? Why, when I looked for the crop of grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes?
Q: What was the frustration of the Lord about His vineyard?
5 Now, I will let you know what I mean to do with my vineyard: take away its hedge, give it to grazing, break through its wall, let it be trampled!
Q: So what was the Lord’s decision about His vineyard?
6 Yes, I will make it a ruin: it shall not be pruned or hoed, but overgrown with thorns and briers;
I will command the clouds not to send rain upon it.
Q: What will happen to the vineyard? What will He command to the clouds?
7 The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his cherished plant; he looked for judgment, but see, bloodshed! for justice, but hark, the outcry!
Q: What was the explanation about the vineyard? Instead of judgment and justice/crop of grapes, what did the Lord see?
Key points/summary: vineyard of friend; provided for the vineyard; yielded wild grapes; vineyard to be trampled upon and be ruined; house of Israel and people of Judah; judgment and justice but yielded bloodshed and outcry
Connection of Gospel and 1st reading: The Gospel and 1st reading talk about the vineyard of the Lord, the house of Israel. The tenants who were put in charge of the vineyard, the chief priests and elders and the people of Judah did not return the favor of the Lord. Instead of taking care of the vineyard for the Lord, they arrogated it for themselves. Instead of good produce, they yielded bloodshed and outcry of the people. The Lord decided to offer His vineyard to those who will yield good fruit.
Reading 2: PHILIPPIANS 4: 6-9
Brothers and sisters:
6 Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.
Q: Instead of anxiety, what must be the attitude of the Philippians?
7 Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Q: And what will they receive?
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Q: And what must be in their minds?
9 Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.
Q: And what must they keep on doing? Then, Who will be with them?
Key points/summary: no anxiety; prayer and petition with thanksgiving; whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, excellent and worthy of praise; peace of God
Connection of 3 readings: Instead of the attitude of the chief priests and elders in the Gospel and the unfaithfulness of the people of Judah, the 2nd reading tells the Philippians how to be good tenants by the example of Paul and to be productive plants of the Lord - take care of any of God’s blessings by being grateful to Him through prayers and petitions with thanksgiving, thinking of what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious and worthy of praise and by doing what the Lord Jesus has taught them through Paul. By these, anxiety will be out of their minds because the peace of God will be with them.
The readings teach us how to have no anxiety but have the peace of God within – be thankful for everything and offer to God our good deeds also in thanksgiving.
Hibla: Do good in thanksgiving for the blessings God has given.
Be thankful, obey the commands of the Lord, produce good and live in His peace.
Application: As tenants of the Lord here on earth, what did He entrust to you? How do you take care of what the Lord has entrusted to you – your life, family, job, etc.?
When you chose to do good, what blessings did you receive?
How do you give thanks to the Lord? Did this give you peace?
Responsorial Psalm: PS 80
"The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel."
Hibla + resp psalm: Those who do good, are thankful and obedient belong to the vineyard of the Lord.
Ctto Bro Norman Garcia
