Gospel of the Day
From the Gospel according to Matthew 21:28–32
Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people:
“What is your opinion?
A man had two sons.
He came to the first and said,
‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’
He said in reply, ‘I will not,’
but afterwards changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order.
He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go.
Which of the two did his father’s will?”
They answered, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you,
tax collectors and prostitutes
are entering the kingdom of God before you.
When John came to you in the way of righteousness,
you did not believe him;
but tax collectors and prostitutes did.
Yet even when you saw that,
you did not later change your minds and believe him.”
To Go or Not to Go, That Is the Question
God is Love, and I, because of my self-love, become a “but” to His Love: “I would like to give myself to my husband, but what if he gets used to it?” “I would like to forgive him, but what if he does not acknowledge his mistake?” I desire to, but my pride prevents me from going to the vineyard.
In the vineyard I discover the Sun: the light of the Holy Spirit, which illuminates the truth of my heart; the water: prayer and the Word, which make my soul fruitful; the rain: sacramental grace, which causes to grow within me the life I cannot give myself; the soil: the concrete reality of my life; the hoe of my effort; the weeds of my attachments; the pruning that purifies; the wind of adversity, which disrupts my plans; the night of trial, which teaches me to trust; and the patient waiting for the harvest.
And finally, the fruit: the finest wine — our love, transfigured into Yours, my God; we in You, and You loving through us.
The Vineyard is the Life of Christ in your marriage. Are you really not going to go? Because only by going to the Vineyard will you attain that to which you have been called.
To go or not to go.
To be or not to be.
That is the question.
Applied to Married Life
John and Mary, on their wedding anniversary, alone in the early hours of the morning before the Blessed Sacrament: the Real Presence of the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ.
Mary: Here we are, Lord, before You, to thank You for the vineyard of our marriage and for everything You have caused to grow within it.
John: Thank You, Lord, for Mary. I see Your patience in her effort to accept me as I am, without trying to change what she does not like about me. I see her waiting and her trust, allowing You to be the One who works within me. In her, I see Your hope and Your peace.
Mary: Thank You, my God, for John. For Your gentleness when he gives up the need to be right; Your patience in his silences so as not to hurt me; Your goodness when he serves me even when he is tired. I recognise You in him.
John: We have pulled out the weeds of pride, the desire to control, anger, judgements… and we have endured pruning that we still do not fully understand. Some of it has hurt. Some of it still hurts.
Mary: Today we can clearly see that the fruit comes from You. All we do is return to the vineyard each day: to pray, to live the sacraments, to forgive one another, to renounce ourselves… And You make grow what we cannot make grow ourselves.
John: Our problems remain, but a great peace fills us, together with a mysterious joy. Joy and Peace seem to become one. We do not know which one nourishes the other. But both, held by Your hand, spring forth within our souls.
Mary: And tomorrow? We will return to the vineyard to discover what You desire for us. We do not know what it will be, but we trust, we hope and we love.
John: Because after so many years, we are beginning to understand that this vineyard is not ours.
Mary: It is Yours, Lord. And so are we.
Mother,
Show us the vineyard of your Son.
May He be forever blessed and praised,
for by His Blood He redeemed us.