In today's readings, the message clearly is that God’s people have been poor tenants in the Lord’s vineyard. However, we read this not to sit in judgement on certain people in the past. We must be careful to be aware of the relevance of this parable for our own situation. We are not reading it for historical reasons, but for reflection on our own lives and behaviour.

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The Lord’s vineyard
Both the First Reading and the Gospel focus on the Lord’s vineyard, that is, the place where God’s people are to be found. At first, Jesus chose the Israelites to be his own people. He was with them on their wanderings in the desert on the way to “a land flowing with milk and honey”. The Lord asks in the First Reading: What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it?

But the response of God’s people (i.e. the tenants) in the vineyard was far from the expectations of the master of the vineyard:

When I expected it to yield grapes, why did it yield rotten grapes?

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In Jesus’ story, the owner sends his servants to collect the harvest. Instead, the tenants seized, beat, stoned and even killed the owner’s messengers. This happened again and again. The message is clearly understood by Jesus’ hearers. The Lord had sent his prophets to remind his people of their duty to serve, to be a fruitful people. Yet, one by one, God’s messengers were rejected.

 

No respect even for the son
Finally, the owner’s own son was sent. The owner said: They will respect my son.  But no—he also was seized, thrown out of the vineyard and killed. They could now take over the vineyard for themselves. It reminds one of the arrogance of our first parents who thought the knowledge of good and evil would give them power over God; or of those who tried to build a tower that would reach right to the heavens. And the killing of the son “outside the city” is a clear reference to Jesus’s dying on the cross outside the walls of Jerusalem.

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Called to the Lord’s vineyard
Today, we are God’s people. We are the tenants in the vineyard. Now he expects us to produce fruit, fruit that will endure. The obvious questions for us to ask ourselves today are: How are we doing? Are we any better than the chief priests, the elders, the Scribes and the Pharisees? We are specially privileged, by baptism, to be called to work in the Lord’s vineyard. Each week we are invited to gather together to hear the gospel message and to make it part of our lives. We are all called to be members, We are all called to be members—active members—of the Body of Christ, the Christian community, i.e. the Church.

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(c) Sacred Space

“He will… let out the vineyard to other tenants who will

give him the fruits in their seasons"

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Envy is like a poison which taints everything in our lives. In the parable, the landlord leases his new vineyard to tenants, but when the harvest comes, the tenants are envious of the landowner’s wealth. They abuse the rent collectors and ultimately kill the heir to achieve their own ends. We, too, can be envious in many ways - of reputation, property, personality, talents, and even good looks. 

This poison can take root when we forget that we are all tenants here on earth, taking care of God’s creation. We are called to share the fruits of our harvest, making sure we do not keep it all for ourselves. Yet, in today’s world of unbalanced wealth, so many people live on the edge of existence due to famine, war, and climate emergencies like devastating floods. 

In the parable, the heir is put to death, and we can recognise that Jesus is foretelling his own death as his popularity becomes the envy of the leading authorities. It is a warning for us today that the destruction of human life is often the result of unbridled desire. We must always be on our guard against envy. Our prayer should be for the wellbeing of all, finding contentment as caretakers of God's world while producing fruits of peace and plenty for all people. 

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Dear God, you have given us so many good things to enjoy in our lives, give us generous hearts to share all that we possess with others so that our world will become a place for friendship, sharing and caring for all. Amen.

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Reflection & prayer by Sister Bridgetta Rooney of Saint Joseph of Peace.

Artwork by Stushie Art (c)

October - month of the Holy Rosary

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The Holy Rosary is considered a perfect prayer because within it lies the awesome story of our salvation. With the Rosary we meditate the mysteries of joy, of sorrow, of glory and of light of Jesus and Mary. It’s a simple prayer, humble so much like Mary.
It’s a prayer we can all say together with Her, the Mother of God. With the Hail Mary we invite Her to pray for us. She joins Her prayer to ours.

 

The repetition in the Rosary is meant to lead one into restful and contemplative prayer related to each Mystery. The gentle repetition of the words helps us to enter into the silence of our hearts, where Christ's spirit dwells. 

 

As you pray the Rosary during this month, you might reflect on the latest message from Medjugorje:
 

September 25, 2026: Our Lady's Monthly Message asks the faithful to renew family Rosary prayer for her intentions so she can intercede before the Most High for peace.

 

You can read the full text archive on the Medjugorje WebSite Latest Message. 

2026 marks the 800th anniversary of St Francis of Assisi's death in 1226.

Pope Leo XIV declared that it will be a special Year of St Francis in which we are all called to become saints in our world, following St Francis' example. We are called to model a holiness of life and witness to peace

 

Pope Leo has said:

"This Year of St Francis spurs all of us, each according to our possibilities to imitate the poor man of Assisi, to form ourselves as far as possible on the model of Christ... may the hope that has seen us as pilgrims now be transformed into zeal and fervour of active charity."

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The Holy Father has offered this prayer for the occasion:

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Saint Francis, our brother, you who eight hundred years ago
went to meet Sister Death as a man at peace,
intercede for us before the Lord.

You recognised true peace in the Crucifix of San Damiano,
teach us to seek in Him the source of all reconciliation
that breaks down every wall.

You who, unarmed, crossed the lines of war
and misunderstanding,
give us the courage to build bridges
where the world raises up boundaries.

In this time afflicted by conflict and division,
intercede for us so that we may become peacemakers:
unarmed and disarming witnesses of the peace that comes from Christ.

Amen

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Novena to St. Francis