Blessings or Burdens

Due to the fact that I’ve been attending mass since I was born – and attended every day from first grade through junior high as I attended a catholic school, I’ve heard every gospel reading known to man. So it’s not very often that I hear a homily that makes me look at a gospel differently – that is until I met Father George Amos.

Father George came to our parish last year. His passion for his faith is so very clear to all who know him. He has brought a reverence back to our parish that is creating a sense of pride in our parishioners. His homilies are my favorite, and each one makes me look at the gospel readings differently than I ever have.

Last Sunday’s homily, though, was my favorite so far. The gospel this past week was the story from Matthew 21: 33-43. The passage is the parable Jesus told about the landowner who planted a vineyard, which he leased out to people before he left on a journey. When the harvest time grew near, the landowner sent his servants to collect the fruits of the vineyard. The tenants, however, seized the servants and killed them. The landowner sent more servants, and they suffered the same fate as the group before them.

The landowner then sent his son, thinking that the tenants would respect him. The tenants schemed that they could steal the son’s inheritance, and the son was thrown out of the vineyard and killed. Jesus ends the parable by saying, “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.”

Now in all the years that I’ve listened to this gospel, I’ve only thought of it in one way. Jesus himself is the son that the landowner (God) sent to the vineyard – only to be killed by the tenants. This past Sunday, though, Father George opened up my eyes to this passage in a whole new light.

Father asked us this question: “How often do we say we have no time for God and His mission because of a blessing He has already given us?”

I know – mind blown, right?

Those tenants probably prayed for a vineyard to be able to inhabit and utilize. Once they received it, they had no time for gratitude and to carry out the mission of the landowner – only greed.

How often do we ask God for a home – only to neglect mass on Sunday to take care of it?
How often do we ask God for a new career – only to neglect daily time with Him to pour ourselves into it?
How often to we ask God for financial blessings – only to refuse to be giving to others?

Father George’s question has really changed the way I’m looking at many things in my life – so I thought I’d share the question with all of you……what blessings are you turning into burdens?