Deacon Tom Anthony

Sunday, October 4, 2026

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 139

Reading 1

Let me now sing of my friend,
my friend's song concerning his vineyard.
My friend had a vineyard
on a fertile hillside;
he spaded it, cleared it of stones,
and planted the choicest vines;
within it he built a watchtower,
and hewed out a wine press.
Then he looked for the crop of grapes,
but what it yielded was wild grapes.

Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard:
What more was there to do for my vineyard
that I had not done?
Why, when I looked for the crop of grapes,
did it bring forth wild grapes?
Now, I will let you know
what I mean to do with my vineyard:
take away its hedge, give it to grazing,
break through its wall, let it be trampled!
Yes, I will make it a ruin:
it shall not be pruned or hoed,
but overgrown with thorns and briers;
I will command the clouds
not to send rain upon it.
The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel,
and the people of Judah are his cherished plant;
he looked for judgment, but see, bloodshed!
for justice, but hark, the outcry!

Responsorial Psalm

PS 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20

R. (Is 5:7a) The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
A vine from Egypt you transplanted;
you drove away the nations and planted it.
It put forth its foliage to the Sea,
its shoots as far as the River.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Why have you broken down its walls,
so that every passer-by plucks its fruit,
The boar from the forest lays it waste,
and the beasts of the field feed upon it?
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name.
O LORD, God of hosts, restore us;
if your face shine upon us, then we shall be saved.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Reading 2

PHIL 4:6-9

Brothers and sisters:
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters,
whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious,
if there is any excellence
and if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things.
Keep on doing what you have learned and received
and heard and seen in me.
Then the God of peace will be with you.

Alleluia

JN 15:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I have chosen you from the world, says the Lord,
to go and bear fruit that will remain.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

MT 21:33-43

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
"Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned.
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking,
'They will respect my son.'
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,
'This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’
They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?"
They answered him,
"He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times."
Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?
Therefore, I say to you,
the kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit."

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

The Christian Way of Life is a beautiful and wonderful thing. To shape ourselves in the image of Jesus Christ; being selfless and giving in all of our thoughts, actions and modeling our conduct by the teachings of God can produce no negative results but only a life the way God intended us to live. When we face trials and tribulations they are confronted with the knowledge that God is on our side and that, whatever is faced, we will be stronger as a result. It is understood that suffering is a part of being Christian because we are going against a society that is permeated by evil and Christ suffered for us to overcome this evil. To walk with Christ means we too must suffer using Him as an example to be united with Him so as to overcome the evil. In the end good will always triumph over evil because God is the good. This is the Christian Story. This is our story.

The shaping that we go through is not directed by ourselves alone but by God. If we permit Him to do the work He wants to do we can then feel this happen every moment of our lives. God tells us through the Prophet Isaiah: He is the potter and we are the clay. If we truly stop resisting God and let him form and mold us into a new creation beautiful things will happen to us. We are all a part of God’s Vineyard which is representative of His entire creation. He has nurtured it, cared for it, and loved it. He continues to do so today and will for eternity. As we grow we can easily respond to this love or reject it. If there is acceptance we have the opportunity to flourish and grow while being tended to. If there is rejection that means that we become a sort of infection that can spread wildly and causes discord throughout the vineyard. Working with God and listening to him equals living in communion with His creation while working against God causes us to actually working against His creation.

We can also be seen as being workers in God’s vineyard as well as being part of the vineyard. When we are shaped and formed then we are the grapes and the fruits of His creation. When we go forth and do good works in His name and evangelize the faith; building up The Kingdom of God here on this earth we then become workers in the vineyard as we too care for the soil and what is produced therein. God works through us and we go forward in His name moved by the Holy Spirit. Others are then capable of witnessing Jesus Christ through us as we become their source of nourishment and strength. When we act as the workers our responsibilities become greater and our conduct becomes all the more important. Other people will be listening to us and watching us more closely than before. When we work in the vineyard we are bringing Jesus Christ to them and the messenger needs to be a vessel well prepared for its cargo.

That is not to say we have to be perfect. No one is perfect but if we are to be workers and witnesses for Jesus Christ then the workings of the Holy Spirit need to be seen clearly in us so that what we are preaching can have credence and strength. If what we are saying and what we are testifying to, which is from God, is going to have any impact on anyone else the product of a right relationship with God must be evident within ourselves. Sin is rebellion against God. If we are in a rebellious state while spreading the Good News then we are actually promoting discord through our own conduct instead of the message God wants us to promote. Our own sins have the capability of overshadowing what is being said and done in His name. It says in Sacred Scripture that what comes out of a man’s mouth is a reflection of what is in his heart. Our words and actions do have consequences; especially when we are doing God’s work. When we are working in the vineyard and when we are being nurtured by God we have to be ever-mindful of what we are doing wrong and where we have gone wrong. We can then make the necessary corrections and benefit as a result. Our own development is never done. The work that we do in the name of God is never done.

The Apostle Paul encourages us in the reading from his letter to the Philippians. We are all told to continue doing what is right and what is good. All these things come from God. We are instructed to dismiss all negative thoughts and emotions. These things come from Satan and our imperfections; not from God. Not coming from God means these things have no value and no place in the Christian Way of life. They cause doubt and discord. Instead we should focus on the good things that come from God which make us develop and grow into better people. We all are wise enough to know what is good and what is bad for us. The challenge is not to make excuses to justify us doing the bad things that have and always will hurt us. Instead we should commit to a better way of living that includes and does not exclude God. This better way can then be used to reveal God to other people; all peoples that we interact with. This offers us and those we come in contact with an opportunity to be nourished and to grow; all the while producing good fruit from all of the abundant works.

Deacon Tom

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

We all dwell within the vineyard together. Jesus Christ has opened the gates wide and offers entrance to anyone who wishes to work, live, and rejoice in His name. There is no price to pay. There are no requirements and there is no cost for admission. There only needs to be a desire to leave the wasteland that is a life without Jesus and enter into an existence with Him. The work that we then do and the life that we live becomes one that is inseparable from Jesus Christ. The land that we find ourselves living in is one that is owned by the Father. So, as tenants in the vineyard, we belong to Him and are encouraged to listen to what He has to say. The Landowner knows His land the best and He knows how He wants it tended to and harvested. He also knows how to bring forth the highest yield of grapes which will then in nurture us and satisfy our thirst and hunger for something better.

In one way, the vineyard in the Parable of the Tenants represents Israel and the tenants the People of Israel. God, as the landowner, sends forth his servants (the prophets) to encourage these people to return to Him with love. The response is to reject the prophets and continue their ways of disobedience. Jesus then indicates that they will also do this to Him (the son). Even though this is the case, it is through Jesus Christ and the Incarnation that the message of salvation is revealed to the entire world. What was initially revealed to a Chosen People was now opened up to the entire world.

This is such beautiful imagery. Even though we are not perfect and tend to pursue of own needs and wants, God is so loving that He keeps calling us to return to Him so that He may love us. There is no limit to this love, demonstrated by the fact that He sent His only son into the world to suffer and be crucified so that we may obtain eternal life. He did not have to do this. He wanted to do this. When we are receptive to this love, we are transformed by it: we want to do good works, we want to love one another as we are loved, and we want to live a good Christian Life.

The landowner did not have to send his servants. He did not have to send others to follow. And he certainly did not have to risk his only son. He did it because he wanted to give the tenants an opportunity to do the right thing. God does the same thing. Time and time again we are given chance after chance to accept Him into our lives. So many times we have failed to respond to Him and there will be times in the future when these same actions are repeated. Yet, God is always there willing to forgive and love.

Upon the acceptance of Jesus Christ, the vineyard becomes a paradise. It represents our relationship with God. It will feed us and provide for our needs physically, mentally, and above all spiritually. We are guided and protected by the landowner who is God. Paul tells us in his letter today to have, “no anxiety at all.” All will be provided for through prayer and petition. As long as Jesus Christ is central in our lives then all obstacles, trials, and tribulations can be overcome. Continuous prayer leads to a continuous relationship with Jesus. We will then be able to conduct ourselves and develop all of our relationships through the lens of Jesus Christ.

And as Paul says,

“Keep on doing what you have learned and received
and heard and seen in me.
Then the God of peace will be with you.”

Deacon Tom

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 136

Reading 1

EZ 18:25-28

Thus says the LORD:
You say, "The LORD's way is not fair!"
Hear now, house of Israel:
Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?
When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies,
it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.
But if he turns from the wickedness he has committed,
he does what is right and just,
he shall preserve his life;
since he has turned away from all the sins that he has committed,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (6a) Remember your mercies, O Lord.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Remember your mercies, O Lord.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
The sins of my youth and my frailties remember not;
in your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Remember your mercies, O Lord.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and teaches the humble his way.
R. Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Reading 2

PHIL 2:1-11 OR 2:1-5

Brothers and sisters:
If there is any encouragement in Christ,
any solace in love,
any participation in the Spirit,
any compassion and mercy,
complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love,
united in heart, thinking one thing.
Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;
rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,
each looking out not for his own interests,
but also for those of others.

Have in you the same attitude
that is also in Christ Jesus,
Who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Have in you the same attitude
that is also in Christ Jesus.

Alleluia

JN 10:27

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

MT 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."

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

There are times in our lives that can be more frustrating than others. Fears, anxieties, and resentments have a way of overcoming us and challenging the peace and tranquility that most of us seek. Satisfaction and complacency can be things that are not easily obtained in these circumstances. It is very easy to blame God; raising our firsts in rage saying, “Why is God doing this to me?” It is also easy to find ourselves self-justifying our circumstances to conclude that God has a plan for us and that what we are facing is not of our own doing but more a divine plan that holds something greater for ourselves in the future as soon as we exit the crucible that He created for us to endure; thus we then remove ourselves from any blame or responsibility. What happens because of this avoidance of recognizing our own faults and misdeeds is a constant shifting to God as being the creator of the messes that we are ultimately the blame for. We then become stale and our spiritual development suffers.

The Prophet Ezekiel brings forth the revelation that we should really stop complaining. We are all accused of saying. “The Lord’s ways are not fair!” The statement is reminiscent of a small child stomping its feet and complaining, “THAT’S NOT FAIR!” when something is taken away from him or her as a punishment. The child is angry because something is being denied without fully realizing that the denial was linked to something that he or she did that was unacceptable. In much the same way, being God’s children, we can easily find ourselves in the same situation when facing the repercussions of our own bad behavior and sin. In our twisted logic we feel that we are not to blame for the circumstances that we find ourselves in. Consequentially, if we reflected a little bit, there can always be something that we could have done better in most of the interactions we have participated in. Assigning blame is rarely completely one-sided except when we are confronted with pure evil. It is more common for blame and responsibility to be parceled out by percentage and weight. Because of our fallen nature and our state of deniability it is easier to blame God then to be confronted with our own wrongdoings. One of the most difficult things that we can do in our lives is actually admit that we were wrong. Our pride and will are roadblocks to that conclusion and further prevent ourselves from being healed by these wounds that we bring on ourselves.

God is telling us through Ezekiel that before blaming Him or anyone else we should reflect on our own actions and our own faults. Regardless or circumstances, it can be argued that we can always find something within ourselves that we can improve. We cannot control the actions of others but we can always control our own actions. Whatever has happened or whatever is happening can become a corrective moment and advancement in our spiritual development if we first let go of our inclination to deny responsibility and assign blame to someone else. We are encouraged to understand that, through Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church, that we are given a blueprint of how to behave and conduct ourselves in order to obtain the most out of this life and God’s Creation. It is to our own detriment that we choose not to follow these instructions and instead create our own justifications for conducting ourselves differently.

We are all responsible for our own actions. God wants the best for us and tries to give us the best of everything spiritually, mentally, and physically. Unfortunately there are times when we get in our own way. God’s way may be perfect but our ways are not so we are living in an imperfect world confronted with imperfect things and imperfect people as a result. God encourages us to keep focus on the good and keep doing good under His counsel regardless of what circumstances we find ourselves in. When confronted with obstacles we are told that they can be turned into opportunities by following the instructions of God. It is through His vision that we can be strengthened and forged through any calamity and come out stronger on the other side. We can then look back with pride and satisfaction at a job well done. He has tenderly given us a warning that when we listen to Him we will be better off.

As Christians we are taught to model our lives after the teachings of Jesus Christ. Selflessly He entered this world and took on the form of a slave in service to others. He did not demand to be served but instead served. Instead of lifting Himself up He lowered Himself down below the stature of any other person. He did not demand but suggested. He did not judge but corrected. This is part of the key to a joyful life: to listen to the teachings of Christ and to be Christ-like in everything that we say and do. Taking these instructions and implementing them can cause us no harm. No evil can result from them. Coming from God, only good things can abound if they are adhered to and, if not, dissatisfaction and a lack of fulfillment will result.

Just like any parent who focuses on the child that needs them the most at a given time or the one who is in some sort of distress God does the same for us. We can suffer physical, mental, and emotional trauma. We also suffer spiritual trauma when we withdraw from God and embrace sin. When we encounter any of these Jesus Christ is ready and willing to be there to suffer with us. He wants to comfort us and help us endure the rough waters ahead. When we finally realize and accept Jesus Christ for who He is and follow Him to the Father we will be changed forever by the experience we will have with our Creator and God. We are the tax collectors and prostitutes that Jesus mentions in the Gospel Reading today. We are those who are beautifully broken and ravaged by sin. Even though we may be judged and looked down upon by many people it is through Jesus Christ that we are lifted up and it is through The Father that we are welcomed into the Kingdom of God with song and celebration.

We do not have to wait for this celebration to begin when we triumphantly march towards God into Heaven. Instead, the celebration can begin in the present when we surrender our life and will over to God. It is then we are healed and are continuously healed through the adjustments and corrections we make throughout our lives with God as our master and guide. The fears, anxieties, and resentments that once overwhelmed us will easily be put at bay and we can then be filled with the Holy Spirit. There will be no need to struggle against what God is telling us and no temper tantrums when we don’t get our way. God can be our way if we just let Him and listen to Him.

Deacon Tom

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

Repentance and redemption are two wonderful and beautiful things. This is what is offered to us through a relationship with Jesus Christ. When we come to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are told by Him that whatever sins we have from the past are forgotten. We just have to ask for forgiveness. Going forward we are then able to model our lives through the knowledge of Sacred Scripture, the teachings of the Church, and through our personal relationship with Jesus. That moment when Jesus is revealed to us, we are redeemed from our past ways and are brought forward into a new life. We are asked to change our ways and understand that many things that what we did in the past are things that we should not be proud of and fall short of the expectations that Jesus has for us. Through this exercise, we can then repent for what we have done and commit to doing better in the future.

The forgiveness, love, and mercy that Jesus shows us is something that we can give to others. In a community, with Jesus as the head, placing the needs and wants of others before those of ourselves brings us all closer together. This includes the message of repentance and redemption that we have already received. When this is shared and when the importance of other people’s wants and desires are placed before ours, then everyone in the community benefits from this shared experience. All rise up together and all are healed together. Yes, we are all individuals, but that does not mean that we have to struggle alone. It is when we are alone that we become the most vulnerable to the allures of Satan and the trapping of sin. Singularly we are a brick while together we can build a wall that can withstand any assault.

Paul in his letter today says, “complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing.” He is speaking about unity in Jesus Christ. If all of our thoughts are focused on Jesus Christ then there is no doubt that a unified love and heart will follow. This will bring about a spiritual experience borne from the Living Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ working within our midst. What we have through this statement is a blueprint of how a Christian Community should work. We are all going down the same path, making that same journey. We need to come together as a group so that we all may reach that goal. The goal of complete repentance and redemption.

It does not matter where we came from. It is where we are going. Everyone has a past with things we all hope are never to be revealed. It is what we do in the present now that is most important. From the present, we can then shape our future with the aid and support of our community lead by Jesus Christ. As Christian, we all have a stake in the success and failure of each other. They key is to act as a community so that we all can be molded into the best version of ourselves which will then emulate the Light of Christ which dwells within all of us.

Deacon Tom