27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

INTRO:

I’m not sure how much you know about the SAINTS, and I have to say I could use a class on the Lives of the Saints, but, I do remember some “tid-bits” about many saints.

Saint Catherine of Siena is considered a DOCTOR of the CHURCH…she was brilliant in her understanding of theology.

Anyway…….as a DOCTOR of the Church, she writes about each person’s responsibility to live in the world!

Each of us has a RESPONSIBILITY in the Church,

But, just like MATTHEW the Gospel writer, Catherine also refers to the church as a VINEYARD!
We have our own responsibility in the vineyard.

She writes…..
Imagine that just before we are born into the world God approaches points out a certain place on earth where we will live.

“This is going to be your piece of the VINEYARD! It will be yours to make of whatever you can. All I ask is that you work the land as best as you can and get the most out of the soil and the shoots that I give you.
• If you produce the grapes that become the choice wine…GREAT.
• If you only have enough water and nutrients to produce a few grapes that make a small amount of cooking sherry, TERRIFIC.
• If you only have enough time to start a few vines, YOU WILL HAVE DONE WELL!”

But God adds:

“Just don’t make the mistake that too many make. They get caught up in the number of grapes. My vineyard is about harvest, but not for your PROFIT!

God says one more thing……
“And remember it is MY vineyard. Not yours. I give you a piece of it because that’s what being God is all about! An occasional THANK YOU would be nice. But the moment you think this vineyard is yours or that you deserve better, your vineyard will become a VERY UNHAPPY and UNPRODUCTIVE place.”

THEN GOD SAYS……”Go to it”……and breathes that soul into LIFE and another adventure begins………..

BEAUTIFUL STUFF.

And this Gospel about God’s vineyard, and we live in God’s land.

And, I like that part… this is GOD’S LAND!
Jesus teaches us that we are placed in God’s vineyard on earth to:

I. Get along with each other
II. To not KILL each other
III. To respect all races

So, our teaching today is that everything we have is GOD’S and he deserves the recognition.

CONCLUSION:

This vineyard story is our Catholic attitude and put’s the correct perspective on GOD. Thank Him today for the piece of the vineyard HE has given you and keep up the good work of coming here on the weekend to give of yourself to God!

He DOES love this!