Twenty Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time – October 5, 2008

What’s Yours Is Mine

Selfishness rears its ugly head in every aspect of society. People take from others until they’re caught. They take without thought or care. Their attitude of “me first” will lead to their downfall. The question remains, can society truly learn from fate of the selfish?

STS. MICHAEL, GABRIEL AND RAPHAEL:  September 28, 2011

MP3 PODCAST In this week’s audio podcast, we discuss the dark attitude of selfishness. What’s yours is mine. Too many times, this attitude becomes the way that the powerful treat the powerless. How should we respond?

FIRST READING The prophet Isaiah railed against the lax attitude in the royal court and the nation. The people slipped into idolatry and injustice. They were like the wild grapes of the vineyard in the prophet’s parable, sour and useless. As the people had abandoned God, God would turn his back on his people.

PSALM Psalm 80 is a hymn of desperation, but not despair. The singer cried out to God in time of crisis, but did not give up on the Lord to deliver his people.

SECOND READING In his letter to the Philippians, St. Paul encouraged his audience to live peace-filled, moral lives. He offered himself as an example to the community as the ideal Christian. Was Paul bragging? No, he earned his role as example and mentor through his dedication. Paul knew as well as anyone did of the power Christ had in life.

GOSPEL Matthew’s gospel presents a harsh parable about rebel tenants. The story Jesus told depicted the jealousy of the tenant farmers and their unlimited greed. Their fate foreshadowed the destruction of Jerusalem. It was also a warning to everyone who claims God’s will and power as their own.

CHILDREN’S READINGS In the story for the first reading, Edith loved her dolls and her doll house. But, but her cousin showed little respect for Edith’s beloved collection. The result was heartbreak, just as God hurts when his people are wild. In the story for the gospel, three different boys are best friends. When one of the boys faces painted words of prejudice, all three hurt. All resolve to remove the words so the hate won’t spread. Jesus told a story of prejudice and destruction as a warning.

FAMILY ACTIVITY The parable of the rebel tenants is a story of selfishness that grew into hatred. What would happen if the tenant farmers were giving people. Discuss alternate endings to the parable with your family members.