Call to worship
God gives us a home. We are merely tenants in the beautiful vineyard of this world. We should not be greedy or violent here. We are called to be faithful and fruitful life-giving stewards of this planet who honor every aspect of human life.
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To the point: The chief priests and elders, by their own words, align themselves with the tenants in the parable — these Jewish leaders are unfaithful and ultimately they, too, kill the One God sends into the vineyard. Even more, they seal their own death when they answer Jesus that those violent tenants will be killed. The death of the “chief priests and elders” will precisely be that “the kingdom of God,” when the vine of life, will be taken away from them. Those who are faithful and accept the Son receive the Life only God’s kingdom can bring. They receive the very Life of God.
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Connecting the Gospel (Matt 21:33-43) to the first reading: While the “vineyard of the Lord” is the “house of Israel,” God’s people are not faithful and so God makes them “a ruin.” In the gospel those charged with the care of God’s vineyard, the “chief priests and elders,” are not faithful and so bring ruin upon themselves.
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Connecting the Gospel to experience: Violence or obstinacy does not lead to life; all too often they lead to death. To grow in new Life we must attach ourselves to the vine of life and be faithful to the life to which Jesus calls us.
Centering prayers
The Gospel
(Matthew 21:33-43)
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
Often you send us as workers to your vineyard.
Make us not loose weights, but cornerstones
unmoved by rejection, suspicion, contempt, or even death.
Send us to sow and nurture whatever is just,
whatever is true, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious,
whatever is honorable, on our magnificent planet,
and in the human family that lives here.
The First Reading
(Isaiah 5:1-7)
My friend had a vineyard on a fertile hillside.
Master of the vineyard, you have given us
a fertile garden to care for.
In what way have we failed?
The garden is polluted;
full of floods and fires and bias.
Lord, help us find
ways to repair our vineyard,
our common home,
and our relationship
with all our brothers and sisters who share it
The Second Reading
(Philippians 4:6-9)
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.
Lord, Jesus,
anxieties come in droves,
but you let us bring them to you,
in prayer and petition, and with thanks,
for prayers already answered.
Ah, your peace, which escapes
all understanding, shelters our hearts
and minds and souls.
Thank you.
Copyright © 2020, Anne M. Osdieck
Music for this week’s reflection
This Is My Song
(Sibelius)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cI8Th_0RKCs
Song of Peace
(Sibelius)
Light A Candle for Peace
Make Me An Instrument of Your Peace
Diamonds
Lyrics
Shine bright like a diamond
Find light in the beautiful sea
I choose to be happy You and I, you and I
We’re like diamonds in the sky
You’re a shooting star I see
A vision of beauty
When you’re near me, I’m alive
We’re like diamonds in the sky
I knew that we’d become one right away
Oh, right away
At first sight I felt the energy of sun rays
I saw the life inside your eyes
Shine bright tonight you and I
You’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky — eye to eye, so alive
We’re Beautiful like diamonds in the sky Shine bright tonight
Shine bright like a diamond
We’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky eye to eye
Shine bright like a diamond Shine bright like a diamond.
We’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky
