27th sunday

The owner and the tenants

Good morning/evening every one. I am so happy to welcome to all for today’s Holy Mass. My special welcome to all our parishioners, summer parishioners, visitors and every one who is here today and I would also thank you all for coming out to celebrate Jesus our Lord. Dear friends, every time we come to church we celebrate the God Almighty who is the owner of the creation; every time we come to church we celebrate Christ the Only Son of the owner and every time we come to church we celebrate our life in Christ our Lord.

One day a doctor looked at his patient and said, “I have a good news and a bad news today”.

The patient looked at the doctor and asked, “What is the good news?”

The good news is that the tests show that you still have twenty-four hours to live.

And what is bad news?

I forgot to tell you yesterday.
Once a gallery owner looked at a painter and said, “I have a good news and a bad news for you?’What is good news?
A man came in and asked whether the price of your paintings would go up after you die and I said yes and he bought every one of your paintings.
What is the bad news?
The man was your doctor.



Today’s gospel is full of good news and some bad news for people who went away from the Lord. The owner- God Almighty who created every thing was happy to see them all growing and flourishing; celebrating life and praising their Creator. When everything was in order and there was a rhythm of peace and harmony; He let the synagogue leaders and temple priests; Pharisees and the scribes to bring His unending joy to all. But they by their shortcomings and human weakness failed again and again. Thus He sent His prophets, kings, Holy men and women to bring them back to them to Him but they instead of accepting and listening to them, they beat one, stoned another and killed many. The Master then sent His only son thinking that they would listen to His Son but they instead killed him. They thought that by killing His Son, they could inherit everything but the Master took the Vineyard His creatures away from those bad people and punished them all according to their sins.
1. Every time we come to Church we celebrate God who is the owner of all creation: After disobeying God, Adam and Eve were hiding from Him and God who came to visit them called them and said, ‘Adam… Adam where are you?” I am hiding because I disobeyed you”. Then God who smiled said, “Adam, this is my house and how can you hide from me?” Since everything belongs to God, how can a person run away from God or hide from Him. Every time we come to Church we celebrate the God who is the source of all. In today’s gospel, we see how God planned everything according to His will and then let people look after them. But they faltered but still He did not loose hope in Man, and then He sent prophets, kings and Holy men and women whom people refused and went away from Him. But God’s way is special and unique and He found something unexpected one, Yes, He sent His Son Jesus.
2. That is why every time we come to Church we celebrate Christ the Only Son of God. Once a Hindu sage was having the life of Jesus read to him. When he heard that His own people rejected Him in Nazareth, the sage said, “A Rabbi whose congregation does not want to drive him out of town is not a rabbi” And when he heard how it was the leaders of the church who put Jesus to death, he said with a sigh, “ It is hard for Satan to mislead the whole world, so he appoints prominent ecclesiastics in different parts of the globe” And Today Jesus Himself says how He is going to be killed because He came to claim responsibility and authority for His father’s property. He came and proclaimed that everything belonged to Him and He came to give them life and happiness; there He was rejected. But His very death opened paradise to those who believe in Him.
3. That is why every time we come to church we celebrate our life in Christ our Lord. Today we are given the responsibility and power to look after the vineyard. Every time we do something for the least of our brothers and sisters, we do to the Lord and every time we come to church and receive the church’s sacraments, we prepare ourselves to enter into the kingdom of God. Amen.