Letters From Home

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Thursday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time by Ms. Joan Watson.

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Wednesday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. John Bergsma.

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Tuesday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. Shane Owens.

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Monday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. Scott Hahn.

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Isaiah 5:1–7
Psalm 80:9, 12–16, 19–20
Philippians 4:6–9
Matthew 21:33–43

In today’s Gospel Jesus returns to the Old Testament symbol of the vineyard to teach about Israel, the Church, and the kingdom of God.

And the symbolism of today’s First Reading and Psalm is readily understood.

God is the owner and the house of Israel is the vineyard. A cherished vine, Israel was plucked from Egypt and transplanted in a fertile land specially spaded and prepared by God, hedged about by the city walls of Jerusalem, watched over by the towering Temple. But the vineyard produced no good grapes for the wine, a symbol for the holy lives God wanted for His people. So God allowed His vineyard to be overrun by foreign invaders, as Isaiah foresees in the First Reading.

Jesus picks up the story where Isaiah leaves off, even using Isaiah’s words to describe the vineyard’s wine press, hedge, and watchtower. Israel’s religious leaders, the tenants in His parable, have learned nothing from Isaiah or Israel’s past. Instead of producing good fruits, they’ve killed the owner’s servants, the prophets sent to gather the harvest of faithful souls.

In a dark foreshadowing of His own crucifixion outside Jerusalem, Jesus says the tenants’ final outrage will be to seize the owner’s son, and to kill him outside the vineyard walls.

For this, the vineyard, which Jesus calls the kingdom of God, will be taken away and given to new tenants—the leaders of the Church, who will produce its fruit.

We are each a vine in the Lord’s vineyard, grafted onto the true vine of Christ (see John 15:1–8), called to bear fruits of the righteousness in Him (see Philippians 1:11) and to be the “first fruits” of a new creation (see James 1:18).

We need to take care that we don’t let ourselves be overgrown with the thorns and briars of worldly anxiety. As today’s Epistle advises, we need to fill our hearts and minds with noble intentions and virtuous deeds, rejoicing always that the Lord is near.

Lecturas:
Isaías 5, 1–7
Salmo 80,9.12–16.19–20
Filipenses 4, 6–9
Mateo 21,33–43

Jesús, en el Evangelio de esta semana, utiliza de nuevo el símbolo veterotestamentario de la viña para instruir sobre Israel, la Iglesia y el reino de Dios. Es fácil también comprender el simbolismo de la primera lectura y el salmo.

Dios es el propietario y la casa de Israel es la viña. Como vid apreciada, Israel es arrancada de Egipto y trasplantada en una tierra fértil preparada especialmente por Dios; es cercada por las murallas de Jerusalén y vigilada por el imponente Templo. Pero la viña no produjo uvas buenas para vino, símbolo de las vidas santas que Dios esperaba de su pueblo. Por ello Dios permitió que fuera invadida por invasores extranjeros, como Isaías prevé en la primera lectura.

Jesús continúa la historia en donde la deja Isaías, incluso usando sus palabras para describir el lagar, la cerca y la torre. Los líderes religiosos de Israel, los labradores de esta parábola, no han aprendido nada de Isaías ni del pasado de Israel. En vez de producir buenos frutos, han matado a los servidores del propietario, los profetas enviados para reunir la cosecha: las almas fieles.

Como oscuro presagio de su propia crucifixión fuera de Jerusalén, Jesús dice que el ultraje final de los labradores será detener al hijo del propietario y matarlo fuera de las murallas de la viña.

Por esto la viña, a la que Jesús llama reino de Dios, les será quitada y le será entregada a nuevos labradores: los líderes de la Iglesia, que producirá sus frutos.

Cada uno de nosotros es una vid en la viña del Señor, injertada en la Vid verdadera que es Cristo (cf. Jn 15,1–8), llamado a llevar frutos de justicia en Él (cf. Flp 1,11) y a ser “primicia” de una nueva creación (cf. St 1,18).

Debemos cuidar el no dejarnos perdernos por las espinas y las zarzas que son las preocupaciones del mundo. Como advierte la epístola de hoy, hemos de llenar nuestro corazón y nuestra mente con intenciones nobles y acciones virtuosas, regocijándonos siempre por que el Señor está cerca.

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary by Mr. Clement Harrold.

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Friday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. John Bergsma.

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Thursday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time by Ms. Joan Watson.

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi by Dr. John Bergsma.

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com