Perhaps an easy way to
reflect upon our readings today, they really do all flow together, but the
vineyard is the parish of St. Alphonsus.
This is what God has entrusted to you and to me. You and I, all of us sitting here in this
church right now, all the people of St. Alphonsus Parish, we are the
tenants. We are the ones whom God has
entrusted this parish community at this point in time and history. God expects you and me to produce the good
fruit. That’s the bottom line.
So whether you’ve been here
50 years, 5 month, or 5 days—you belong to St. Alphonsus Parish. Each and every one of us does. And it isn’t just myself as the pastor, or
the other priests and the staff members, but everybody in this parish community
has the responsibility to produce good things for the Lord. And as the readings very clearly point out,
if we don’t do good things God is going to say, “I’ll give to somebody else.”
We’ve done good work over
the last 49 years. Next year we will be
celebrating our 50th Anniversary as a parish community. So let’s psyche up and let’s see what more
good things you and I can do for the honor and glory of God. And as Paul reminds us beautifully, whatever
is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is gracious, those are the things, those are the gifts that
you and I want to cherish and give to one another in abundance. Don’t hold back your gifts and your talents.
You and I are so
blessed. Look around you in church this
morning as your fellow parishioners. You
may not know the name of everybody, but we are all ages. We’re all backgrounds. We’re all different ethnic groups. This is the kingdom of God. God does not look at someone from the outside
and say, “Well you’re better. You’re
more equal.” God looks into our hearts
and says, “I choose you. I put you in
this vineyard, in this parish community, now flourish.”
As we go forth this day,
think of it this way. You and I may be
the only gospel that somebody reads. We
proclaim the word of God, we listen to it.
I have given you a couple of reflections. Now it is up to each and every one of us to
go back through those doors and be the living gospel. You and I may be the only
gospel that somebody reads today. What
will they read? What will they
hear? How will they respond?
You have no control over how
they will respond to what you and I will give to somebody else, but the Lord at
the end of this day is going to ask each and every one of us in our heart, “Did
you be My gospel today? Did you be good
news? Were you comfort? Were you hope? Were you compassion? Were you joy? Were you forgiving? Were you loving? Were you
kind? Were you understanding? Were you
gentle? How did you live in Me, My
gospel today?”
Don’t hold back. Give the best of who we are to one
another. This is what is entrusted to
you and to me, and our God wants us to flourish. We have the Eucharist this morning, the Body
and the Blood of Jesus, once again to strengthen us and to nourish us. Open up our hearts to receive all that Jesus
wants to give us. In turn let it
flow. Let it flow out and embrace one
another and everybody whom God entrusts to you and me.