Only the Humble

    

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

08 October 2023

 

First Reading: Is 5:1-7

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20

Second Reading: Phil 4:6-9

Gospel: Mt 21:33-43

 

Reflection

By: Anton Ocampo

 

Both the First Reading and the Gospel for this Sunday involve the use of the image of vineyards. The image of the vineyard is used in the First Reading to highlight how the people of Jerusalem and Judah refused to listen to the will of the Lord God. Instead of fresh grapes, wild, or, in other translations, rotten grapes were found in this specific vineyard, which is none other than the vineyard of the Lord (Isaiah 5:2, 4). With this statement, the Lord, through the Prophet Isaiah, points out only one thing. Despite God loving and valuing His people, they refused to listen to Him due to the hardness of their minds and hearts. This is very ironic, given the words of the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday, which also comes from the First Reading: “The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel” (Isaiah 5:7). Despite being chosen by God, they refused to listen. A similar image of the vineyard was also used by Jesus in the Gospel for this Sunday. Like the words in the First Reading, the Lord Jesus Christ uses the image of a vineyard to highlight the hardness of the hearts and minds of the people of Israel at the time. The difference is that the focus is not on the vines or grapes itself but on the tenants. Instead of opening their ears, minds, and hearts to the messages of the messengers and even the son of the landowner, the tenants refused to listen and beat up and killed the messengers and even the son of the landowner. Not even the son of the landowner was spared from the violence and bloodthirstiness of the tenants in the parable narrated by the Divine Nazarene, our Lord Jesus, in the Gospel. 

What is the lesson for us? The people in the First Reading and the parable of Jesus in the Gospel both chose to not humble themselves before the Lord. Despite being chosen and cared for by God, despite all the things He has done, they still chose to harden their hearts and minds to Him. Yes, their ears were open, they heard all the messages of the Lord God, which were sent to them by the prophets, but they refused to open their hearts and minds to Him, humble themselves, listen to Him, and obey Him. Even today, this is still evident. We hear the Word of God everyday, yet there are instances where we harden our hearts and minds and reject it. Admit it or not, this often happens. Even though there are many times that this happens, this does not make it the correct thing to do. 

The lesson for us this Sunday is found in the Second Reading. Saint Paul the Apostle reminded the Philippian Christians at the end of his lesson in the Second Reading for this Sunday: “Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me” (Philippians 4:9). Of course, Saint Paul the Apostle is not the only one who did this given that there are many holy men and women who are part of the communion of Saints. However, he only means one thing – be humble, open our hearts and minds to the will of God, listen to it, and obey it. 

In order to be able to open our hearts and minds to God, listen to Him, obey Him, and follow Him, we need humility. Humility is necessary in listening, obeying, and following God. With the help of humility, our eyes, ears, hearts, and minds are open to understanding the perspective of the Lord and recognizing its beauty. It is only in being humble that we will be able to appreciate, believe, and trust the way of God wholeheartedly. This is what God wants from us. 

Yes, it is hard to be humble and listen to the will of God and obey it. However, if we truly love God, we will be willing to do this. No matter how difficult it is, we will be willing to humble ourselves before the Lord and listen to His will and obey it if our love, devotion, and worship for Him is genuine. Like our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, who Christ Himself praised when He said in response to a woman: “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it” (Luke 11:28), as Christians, we should be humble because it is only in being humble that we will be able to truly offer our genuine faith, love, devotion, and worship to the Lord God. Only the ones who humbly and genuinely believe, trust, love, and worship God will be able to hear His word and obey it.

Prayer

Lord, there are times in our temporary life here on earth where we find it to be very difficult to humbly listen to You and obey You. Teach us to be truly and genuinely humble so that we may truly love You, O Lord, with all our heart, mind, and soul. Amen.