HOMILY FOR THE TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A.
HOMILY THEME: WE ARE GOD’S CHERISHED VINEYARD MEANT TO PRODUCE FRUITS OF LOVE
BY: Fr Cosmas Ukadike
HOMILY:
God’s word presents us with one of the major purposes of our being as children of God; that is, we are meant to be fruitful. Not producing soured fruits of bitterness and disillusionment but fruits of love and righteousness.
In the day’s first reading the prophet Isaiah presents us with the account of what God did in order to prepare us for fruitfulness. Just like every famer goes in search of a fertile ground and even manures it again in order to better prepare it for planting, the Lord of host did all that for us his children:
“he dug the soil and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines…and expected it to yield grapes, why then did it yield wild grapes?” (5, 2).
God’s intention is to see us flourish and prosper in all our ways; spiritually, biologically, financially and otherwise. And as a God and Father that he is, he has sent his only begotten son that we may have life and have it in abundance. And so we are expected to cooperate with HIS grace, and move according to his command. The prophet Isaiah made it emphatic that the house of Israel is the cherished vineyard of the Lord (5, 6), the psalmist also confirms this (79 (80).
We are therefore, the new Israelites; people chosen by God. We are so loved and dear to his heart, and so we must work in his ways to be able to produce the required fruits of love. St Paul joins his voice as he calls us in the second reading to engage only in honourable and just conducts, for this is one way of living like a true child of God that he loves: “Whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there’s any excellence and if there’s anything worthy of praise, we are to think about these things (Phil 4, 7-8).
Let us always remember that the purpose of our being is to produce fruits of love and when we are productive using our energies and talents in works of righteousness, God’s choicest blessings will become our portion, and at last, we shall be blessed with his kingdom. Have a blessed week.
