Collect for Twenty Seventh Sunday Year A

 

COLLECT SERIES

The Mass: Collect Series Icon.

COLLECT

Almighty ever-living God,

who in the abundance of Your Kindness

surpass the merits and desires of those who entreat You,

Pour out Your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads

and to give what prayer does not dare to ask.

Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,

Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

In making this prayer tangible this coming week the following reflection questions emerged:

1. How has God shown me abundance in my life?
2. How do I see myself in relation to God as Father?
3. What is my relationship with God the Father like? What steps will I take this week to improve this relationship?
4. What is it that my conscience dreads?  Seek the sacrament of Reconciliation this coming week?
5. What prayer do I not dare to ask but desire from God?

 

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Mt 21:33-43: The Parable of Tenants in the Vineyard.

The Gospel of Matthew offers us a parable in Chapter 21, verses 33-43, that is both a cautionary tale and a prophecy. Known as the Parable of the Tenants, it serves as a profound teaching about God’s generosity, humanity’s accountability, and the consequences of refusing to recognize and accept God's messengers, especially His Prophets and Jesus His own Son.

1. The Vineyard as a Symbol of God’s Kingdom and Generosity

The vineyard is a familiar biblical symbol for the people of Israel (see Isaiah 5:1-7), and by extension, it represents the Kingdom of God. God, the landowner, plants this vineyard, equipping it with all that it needs to bear fruit. Just as He has given the Israelites the law, the prophets, and a land flowing with milk and honey, God is generous and provides abundantly.

2. The Tenants as a Representation of Israel's Leaders

The tenants to whom the vineyard is entrusted are symbolic of the religious leaders of Israel. Over the ages, God has sent prophets to guide His people and to call them back to righteousness whenever they strayed. However, many of these prophets were mistreated or even killed. The parable reflects this reality. When the landowner sends his servants to gather the fruits, the tenants beat, kill, and stone them.

3. The Son as the Final Messenger

The climax of the parable comes when the landowner sends his son, thinking, "They will respect my son." This is a direct foreshadowing of God sending His only Son, Jesus, to the people of Israel. Tragically, like the tenants in the parable, the leaders of Israel do not recognize the Son's authority and plot to kill Him, thinking it would secure their position and power.

4. The Stone the Builders Rejected

Jesus concludes the parable by quoting Psalm 118:22-23: "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." This serves as a prophecy of His own death and resurrection. Jesus, though rejected and crucified, becomes the cornerstone of the Church, the foundation of our faith.

5. A Call to Self-examination

While it’s easy to point fingers at the chief priests and Pharisees, as Catholics, the parable also invites us to a personal reflection. How often have we, too, ignored the "servants" God has sent into our lives—whether they be His teachings, the promptings of the Holy Spirit, or the guidance of the Church? Have we sometimes been like the wicked tenants, seeking our own interests over the will of the Divine Landowner?

6. The Universality of the Kingdom

Finally, the parable ends with a reminder that the Kingdom of God is not limited to one group. If those originally entrusted with the Kingdom reject it, the Kingdom will be given to others who will produce its fruit. This foreshadows the spread of the Gospel to the Gentiles and underscores the universality of the Catholic Church.

In conclusion, the Parable of the Tenants is a potent reminder of God’s immense love and patience, the responsibility we have in bearing fruit for the Kingdom, and the grave consequences of rejecting the Son. It beckons us to constantly align our lives with God’s will and to be fruitful stewards of the faith we’ve been entrusted with.